


The Arrow's Path

by Bl4ckHunter



Series: The Arrow's Path [1]
Category: Arrow (TV 2012)
Genre: F/M
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2018-04-05
Updated: 2018-08-04
Packaged: 2019-04-18 18:55:02
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 16
Words: 49,824
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/14219586
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Bl4ckHunter/pseuds/Bl4ckHunter
Summary: After five years in hell, Oliver Queen has come home to save his city. While fighting the crime as vigilante, he will also struggle with the darkness within himself as he tries not to let it consume everyone he cares about.





	1. Departure

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> After being exiled by his mentors, Oliver decides to return home to begin his mission.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Author's Note and Disclaimer:
> 
> A plot bunny I got from reading some various Marvel and DC Comics books, like Daredevil, Elektra, Batman, Green Arrow etc. and watching Batman Begins and Elektra (2005 film) and Netflix shows Marvel's Daredevil, Marvel's Iron Fist and Marvel's Defenders. I wanted to at least start this story before the idea would vanish from my mind. Just to be clear, the first two years did happen with Oliver, the third year Tommy saw through Oliver's deception, when he came looking for him in Hong Kong but Oliver convinced him to stop snooping around and dissuaded Waller from taking him out and instead Tommy found Sara on Lian Yu and brought her home, while Oliver after Hong Kong went on training before preparing for his mission.
> 
> Tommy, Sara and Diggle are gonna more or less supporting characters to Oliver.
> 
> If I continue this, the updates will probably be irregular, since I will need to come up with ideas about how is this gonna go and due to college duties. And the pairing will be Oliver/Nyssa and I do not want to hear any comments on that Nyssa is a lesbian, there are a lot of stories where the main character is gay so save me these snippy comments you get.
> 
> I do not own DC Comics or the CW TV shows Arrow, The Flash, Legends of Tomorrow or any other characters or elements pertaining to the mentioned franchise

"You already know what is violence and pain, Mr. Queen but you cannot find your path." An elderly woman said, standing on small hill.

"Then teach me." Oliver asked as he knelt down humbly, putting his bow to the ground.

"That's the point. I cannot teach you." The elderly woman said as she stared at Oliver. "I want you to go."

Oliver looked confused. "Is that a test, mistress?"

"No." The woman shook her head. "No test. Just leave."

Oliver sighed, turning away from the woman for a moment before looking at her once more. "I don't belong out there. Not after what I've done. I came here to let go…"

"Your soul has been stained by tragedy and loss and violence. I've tried to help you but… even though you're one of our most gifted students, I can see the anger in your eyes. If you cannot find your peace, this place is not fit for you." The woman said. "You've been one of our most gifted students. There's nothing else this place can teach you. Farewell, Oliver Queen. May the fortune and destiny watch over you on your path."

Oliver looked down, sad. "I've been trying to be better. But…everything I've been through…"

"This was never about making you perfect, Oliver. This isn't the end of your journey, it is only the beginning. Remember that." The woman said, as Oliver considered.

* * *

As Oliver packed his things, he went to a large arch, where was waiting for him a young woman in black hood. "So?"

Oliver shook his head. "This place… wasn't suited for me."

"I did warn you that they she would sense your anger. It was always going to end this way." The woman sighed.

"Then why did you take me there, Talia?" Oliver demanded.

"I wanted to show you that past and present are not separate things, they are all." Talia said. "I know that you have potential to be a great man, Oliver. You just needed a proper guidance."

"You think I should go with it?" Oliver asked as Talia pulled the notebook out of his bag.

"You made a promise, remember?" She reminded as Oliver smiled.

* * *

Later, Oliver went out from a car at the private airfield as there was a jet waiting and Oliver went towards a young man with black hair and a young blonde woman approaching him. "Tommy Merlyn."

"Oliver Queen, as I live and breathe." Tommy and Sara hugged him.

"You grew up." Sara smiled. "I always knew you would come back to us."

For a moment, they let each other go as they entered the plane and sat down.

"So?" Oliver asked. "How's it been going?"

Tommy and Sara looked at each other nervously before looking at Oliver.

"Well, you were right and I was very lucky." Tommy began.

"If it hadn't been for him, I'd starve to death on Lian Yu."

"I've been keeping tabs on the news." Oliver said. "You said you had been following a lead on me and found Sara instead."

"And your Mom hasn't stopped looking for you since then." Tommy said. "But, to be honest, if you hadn't let us know where this place was exactly, we wouldn't have found you in the first place."

"So, I'd say it's a safe bet that she had no luck finding you either." Sara assured Oliver as he nodded.

"How's Laurel, Mom and Thea?" Oliver asked.

"Well…" Sara cleared her throat. "At first, pissed at me for cheating, then hopeful that you were alive, then… eventually, I guess they all had to learn to go on without you, when no one could find any clues."

Oliver nodded before Tommy spoke up nervously. "But, Ollie, there's something you should know about Thea. She…" He paused as he turned to Sara nervously.

"Drugs?" Oliver asked as Sara and Tommy nodded, not surprised that he already knew.

"We've tried, Ollie but it didn't take." Sara said guiltily.

"Don't blame yourself." Oliver assured her.

"And I think I found a good hiding spot for you." Tommy promised. "I prepared some things for you in your Dad's steel factory."

"So, are you really gonna do this?" Sara asked.

"Did you watch the video?" Oliver asked as both Sara and Tommy nodded. "Then you know I have to."

"And we're with you." Tommy promised.

"But I can't do it as Oliver Queen." Oliver said. "As man of flesh and blood, they could destroy me. I need to be someone else… I need to be something else. A symbol. Something… everlasting."

"And I assume this symbol is going to be a persona that would protect your dearest ones if anyone would retaliate?" Sara drawled.

"You mean Thea? Or Laurel?" Oliver asked.

"Actually, I meant us." Sara turned to Tommy awkwardly as he paled slightly and Oliver chuckled. "I know that Nyssa can take care of herself."

"Does anyone else know I'm alive?" Oliver asked.

Tommy and Sara shook their heads. "We never told anyone."

"We promised, remember?"

"Good." Oliver said.

"Diggle's waiting for you in Starling City." Sara promised.

"We can take off now!" Tommy yelled as Oliver pulled out his list, preparing for his mission.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> So, what do you guys think? Is it good? Is it bad? Should I continue?
> 
> Please review and let me know if you have been enjoying this.


	2. Coming Home

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Oliver returns home to make peace with his dear ones.
> 
>  
> 
> In flashbacks, Tommy finds out Oliver is alive and he is forced to fulfill a promise and Oliver's return home doesn't go exactly as planned.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Disclaimer: I do not own DC Comics or the CW TV shows Arrow, The Flash, Legends of Tomorrow or any other characters or elements pertaining to the mentioned franchises

" _Oliver Queen is alive._ " The news anchor said on TV. " _The Starling City resident, declared dead almost two years ago, was found in China by his longtime friend Thomas Merlyn and Sara Lance, who had gone on the cruise with the Queen's Gambit with Oliver and his father, Robert five years ago…_ "

* * *

**_Three years ago, Hong Kong_ **

_Oliver, wearing a mask put down the bag off the cuffed man on the chair, revealing the face of Tommy Merlyn as he grunted._

_"What the hell is going on here?" Tommy breathed out as he came to. "Where am I?" The lights turned on, blinding him as he groaned. "Please, please, don't hurt me, just let me go, please. I promise, I won't tell anybody about this."_

_"Would a fisherman throw his prized catch back in the sea?" Oliver asked in a deep voice, so that his best friend wouldn't recognize him._

_"What are you talking about?" Tommy scoffed. "Look, whoever you are, you don't want to do this. Do you have any idea, who I am? Who my father is?!" He demanded._

_"You're Thomas Merlyn. You've been looking for Oliver Queen." Oliver said, still using his deep voice as Tommy froze, surprised._

_"How… how do you know that?" Tommy stammered._

_"A simple hack of a missing billionaire's email account. I knew somebody would come looking for him. But I thought it would be his… mother." Tommy sat on the chair, frightened. "His sister. But you, the son of the CEO of Merlyn Global. Jackpot. My friend, you are going to make me a very rich man."_

_Tommy was frozen on place in fear but still, despite how deep the man's voice was, he could swear he sounded like… he needed to know for sure. "So, Oliver isn't… he didn't…" He took a breath, not wanting to believe it. Was his best friend playing him?_

_Oliver lowered the mask. "Oliver Queen is dead." He said, his voice clearer now. "He's rotting at the bottom of the ocean." Tommy tried to steady his breath, trying to control himself, if this was Oliver's attempt at a joke, it was a very cruel one._

_"Oliver, I swear, if this is some kind of a sick joke… please… tell me it's you. I need to know. Stop playing with me."_

_Oliver froze for a moment but got a hold of himself. "I don't know what you're talking about."_

_Tommy could swear that the man sounded like Oliver. "Please, Ollie, just look me in the eye and tell me it's you."_

_Oliver considered for a moment before the sirens blared and Maseo in a disguise of a police officer entered. "Hong Kong Police!"_

_Tommy panted out as Maseo freed him from his restraints. Tommy got up and looked around. "Where is he?"_

_"It's OK, you're safe now." Maseo assured him. "You're going home."_

_Tommy breathed out, looking around. "Where is he?"_

_"He ran away." Maseo lied._

_"It was… it was Oliver." Tommy breathed out._

_Maseo tried to dissuade him as he held his shoulder. "Look, mister, I think you're still in shock. Maybe we should…"_

_"It was Oliver, I just know it." Tommy snapped as he looked around. "If this was supposed to be a joke, it wasn't a very nice one, Ollie!"_

_"Mr. Merlyn, the medics should check in on you." Maseo pleaded but at that moment, Oliver went out, with his mask off._

_"Ollie…" Tommy breathed out as Maseo glared at Oliver, like if he was stupid. "What…"_

_"Give us a few minutes, Maseo." Oliver said._

* * *

**_Present, Starling City_ **

Moira was about to visit Walter at Queen Consolidated, going for a lunch as her phone rang as she picked it up. "Yes?"

" _Miss Queen, it's Tommy._ " Tommy said over the line. " _We found him._ "

"What?" Moira asked, hopeful. "What are you…"

" _We found Oliver, we're taking him home. He's here with me and Sara in the plane right now._ " Tommy explained as Moira covered her mouth, tears of joy filling her eyes, not being able to believe it. " _If you want to talk to…_ "

"Yes, yes, let me talk to him, please, Tommy." Moira begged, sobbing and a moment later, she heard a voice she never thought she would have ever again.

" _Mom?_ " Oliver asked and Moira could swear that the voice sounded like…

"Oliver? Oliver, is that you?" Moira sobbed out.

" _Yes, Mom, it's me. Just, please, don't hang up._ " Oliver begged.

"No, oh, no, no, no, I won't." Moira assured him. "Oh, my beautiful boy. Is… is… your father a-a-alive?" She stuttered out.

" _No. He didn't make it, Mom, I'm sorry._ " Oliver told her.

"Oh, Oliver, sweetheart, I… I can't imagine what you've been through. Where are you?" Moira sniffed out, tears of joy spilling out.

" _I'm… I'm not sure. We're in the plane right now with Sara and Tommy and… I'm coming home._ " Oliver said. " _I'm coming home, Mom._ "

"I love you! Oh, Oliver, I love you so much!" Moira sobbed out.

* * *

**_Later, Starling General_ **

Dr. Lamb was with Moira in front of Oliver's room, explaining the situation. "Twenty percent of his body is covered in scar tissue. Second-degree burns on his back and arms. X-ray shows at least twelve fractures that never properly healed."

"Has he said anything about what happened?" Moira asked as she watched Oliver, who was looking out from the window.

"No." Lamb said. "Moira, I'd like you to prepare yourself. The Oliver you lost might not be the one they found."

Moira silently entered the room. "Oliver." She said quietly as Oliver turned around with a blank expression.

"Mom." He finally said before they hugged each other as Moira spilled out tears.

"Oh, my beautiful boy." Moira said, crying.

* * *

**_Three years ago, Hong Kong_ **

_Tommy stared at his best friend, mix of emotions. Relief and happiness that he was alive and alright and anger that Oliver was deceiving him for the past hour and letting him believe he was in danger._

_"Oliver, what the hell is going on?" Tommy demanded._

_Oliver sighed. "I'm sorry for putting you through this but you shouldn't have come looking for me."_

_"Oliver." Tommy gasped. "What do you mean? Where have you been the whole time? Why didn't you…"_

_Oliver took a breath. "It's a long story and I don't have time to explain everything to you, so I'll try to make it quick. But, first of all, you need to promise me something." Tommy nodded. "Whatever happens, you won't come looking for me, ever again and you're not gonna tell anyone that you found me here. Not until I reach out to you. You'll only be putting yourself in danger. After this is over, you'll walk away and don't come looking for me. Promise me. It's for your own protection." Considering that Tommy believed he was about to die and the serious expression on Oliver's face, he nodded._

_"What's going on, Oliver?" Tommy asked, trying to stay calm. "What happened with your father? Sara? The Gambit…"_

_Oliver took a breath. "During the storm, Dad and I and the captain got on a lifeboat. Sara was sucked out, right when the yacht started to sink, there was nothing I could do. We didn't have enough supplies for everyone, so…" He closed his eyes. "He killed the captain and then shot himself right in front of me and asked me to right his wrongs. He left me with this… list of names."_

_"What list?" Tommy asked._

_"I don't know exactly what does it mean and like I said, I don't have time to explain everything to you." Oliver said quickly. "Then, the lifeboat drifted on an island called Lian Yu and after that, it's just been one danger after another for the following two years." Oliver said. "It was hell and I had to claw and fight every single day, just to stay alive. It was… you have no idea, what did I face back then. I would have gladly traded my places with the guys in "Lost" for it."_

_Tommy gulped, not wanting to imagine what Oliver must have been through._

_"What about Sara, is she…" Tommy paused._

_Oliver shook his head. "I… I don't know. I didn't see Sara until a year later. She came with a freighter that had rescued her…"_

_"And they tried to bring you home too?" Tommy asked._

_Oliver shook his head again. "No. That freighter brought a lot more danger with them and Sara and I and some friends of mine got sucked into it. It's complicated but a lot of things went from bad to worse and it was out of the frying pan right into the fire. I tried to use the freighter with Sara to get home but… it didn't go as planned. There was a confrontation and an explosion, Sara got sucked out and the next thing I remember, I woke up here in Hong Kong. These people, Tommy… there's this black ops government agency. They want me to work for them. After what I've been through… they wanted to use my skills." Oliver said._

_"Why would they even want you? With our connections, I'm sure your Mom and my Dad can…"_

_"No, Tommy." Oliver protested. "Whatever happens, you can't try to get me out of here, Waller's threatening the wife and the son of an agent, who's handling me, if I try to escape, she'll have them killed, I can't have something like that on my conscience."_

_Tommy's blood boiled, threatening an innocent family is just wrong. "How the hell did you get mixed up in this mess?"_

_"I keep asking myself that all the time." Oliver deadpanned._

_"Is Sara dead?" Tommy asked._

_Oliver took a breath. "I… I don't know. Maybe she's back on the island but… I'm not sure if she was able to make it this long. It's been… weeks…"_

_"Where is that island you were on?" Tommy asked. "What was it called…"_

_"Lian Yu." Oliver repeated as Tommy nodded._

_"I'll try to look for her." Tommy promised. "And if I can, I'll bring her home."_

_Oliver nodded. "Thank you. And you must promise me, no matter what, neither of you is going to come look for me and you're not gonna tell either Mom or Thea or anyone else what's happening with me. Don't come looking for me until I reach out to you first, understand? And don't let anyone else come look for me. Promise me, please. It's for your own safety."_

_Tommy nodded. "OK. I promise."_

_"Good." Oliver sighed in relief. "Remember, no matter what happens, you'll always be my brother and I'll always look out for you."_

* * *

_**Present, Queen Manor** _

Oliver entered the manor as Moira accompanied him inside. "Your room is exactly as you left it. I never had the heart to change a thing."

"Oliver, it's damn good to see you." A tall black man with a British accent said upon approaching Oliver, who looked at him confused. "It's Walter. Walter Steele."

"You remember Walter, your father's friend from the company." Moira explained.

Then, an elder maid entered the room as Oliver approached her. "It's good to see you, Raisa."

"Welcome home, Mr. Oliver." She said kindly.

Oliver then heard slamming of a door from upstairs as Oliver went to the stairwell and then to the upper floor. "Hey, sis."

Thea rushed to him, hugging him. "I knew it. I knew you were alive! I missed you so much."

"You were with me the whole time." Oliver assured her.

* * *

**_CNRI_ **

Laurel was at her desk, business as usual before Joanna de la Vega, her best friend, approached her. "Shouldn't you be at Queen's?"

"What do you mean?" Laurel asked as she looked at Joanna confused.

"Oliver. It's all over the news. They found him." Joanna explained as Laurel shot up from the desk, not believing what did she just hear.

"Say that again."

* * *

**_Queen Manor_ **

Oliver, Tommy, Sara, Moira, Walter and Thea were at the dining table.

"So, let's see, what else did you miss?" Tommy asked. "Super Bowl winners Giants, Steelers, Saints, Packers, Giants again. A black president. That's new." He finished.

"What was it like there?" Thea asked as mostly everyone shot her displeased glares at her tactlessness and the room went quiet.

"Cold." Oliver said finally.

"Tomorrow, you and me, we're doing the city." Tommy said. "You've got a lot to catch up on."

"That sounds like a great idea." Moira said.

"Good. Then I was hoping to swing by at the office." Oliver replied as Moira and Walter glanced at each other.

"Well, there's plenty of time for all that." Walter said. "Queen Consolidated isn't going anywhere."

Raisa then entered with a bowl of food before she tripped and Oliver caught the bowl before it would fall. "Oh, I am so sorry, Mr. Oliver."

Oliver said something in Russian, leaving everyone, save for Tommy and Sara, shocked.

"I didn't know you took Russian in college, Oliver." Walter noted.

"I didn't know you wanted to sleep with my mother, Walter." Oliver said bluntly.

"I didn't say anything." Thea said quickly.

"She didn't have to." Oliver assured her.

"Oliver…" Moira held Walter's hand. "Walter and I are married. And I don't want you to think that either one of us did anything to disrespect your father."

"We both believed that Robert, like you, was, uh, well, gone." Walter supplied.

"It's fine." Oliver said. "May I be excused?" He asked as he got up from his seat and Moira nodded before Oliver left the room.

* * *

**_The next day, Starling City_ **

Tommy accompanied Oliver to the limo as there was a muscular Afro-American in suit waiting for them. "John Diggle."

"Oliver." Diggle smiled, hugging Oliver. "It's been a long time, my friend. Where to?"

"CNRI." Oliver said as he, Tommy and Laurel entered the limo.

* * *

**_CNRI_ **

As Laurel turned around, she froze to see Oliver as he smiled at her and a mix of emotions took Laurel over. For a long moment, she stared at him and all she could do was hug him tightly.

* * *

**_Three years ago, Lian Yu_ **

_It took a lot of persuasion from Oliver and Maseo to Waller **not** **to** have Tommy killed for finding out that Oliver was alive. However, she left him with a map of Lian Yu as Tommy and a small group of rescuers were on the shore of the island and Oliver warned Tommy that there were landmines all over the place. Hoping that Sara would be able to survive for a few months there, Tommy and the group went into the forest._

* * *

_With makeshift equipment from bamboo and pieces of junk, Sara was able to hunt some rabbits and make fire to survive but she wouldn't last very long and she used the fuselage of Slade's plane as her hideout as she was sleeping before she heard a familiar voice she never thought she would hear again._

_"Sara!"_

_Sara's eyes opened as she couldn't believe it. She went out to be sure and as she saw a young man with dark hair and she looked into his blue eyes. "Tommy…"_

_"Sara." Tommy smiled. Sara backed off, not wanting to believe it as Tommy raised his hands. "It's me. It really is me. It's OK, Sara. I came to take you home."_

_"What… how… how did you find me?" Sara asked. "It's been two years…"_

_"Ollie told me about this place." Tommy said as Sara widened her eyes._

_"Ollie? Is… he's alive? Is he with you?" He suddenly had her full attention._

_Tommy shook his head. "I'm sorry but no. It's… it's a little complicated but… he's not coming with us. Not yet."_

_"What? Why?" Sara demanded. "Tommy, what's going on?"_

_Tommy took a breath. "It's a long story but Ollie promised me that one day he'd see us again. I'll tell you everything but I need you to come with me. Please." He took her hand. "It's gonna be OK now, I'm taking you home."_

* * *

_**Starling City** _

_As the news were full of finding Sara, Tommy was with Sara in the hospital as Quentin and Laurel burst in, hugging Sara tightly._

_And after a moment of relief, they went with Tommy outside. "Thank you. Thank you so much, Tommy." Quentin said gratefully._

_"How… how did you even find her?" Laurel demanded. "It's been two years."_

_Tommy took a breath. "One of my contacts told me he had a clue about the Gambit, so I went to investigate myself." He said a half-truth. "I just had to follow the breadcrumbs and I found Sara."_

_Quentin scoffed. "At least you didn't bring back that bastard Queen, it's his fault that…"_

_"Dad, enough!" Laurel snapped. "There's no way Oliver could have known that the yacht would sink, so stop that!"_

_"No, Laurel, if it hadn't been for him, she wouldn't have gotten on that damn boat!" Quentin snapped back._

_"Enough!" Tommy snapped. "Stop acting like he caused the storm! We didn't come here to argue!"_

_Quentin took a breath, yelling at each other wouldn't do any good. "It doesn't matter, what matters is that you brought my baby girl back." He then entered the room as Sara was sitting on the bed before she turned around and they stared at each other for a moment before Quentin neared her and hugged her tightly._

_"Daddy…" Sara said, with tears filling her eyes._

_"It's OK, honey, it's OK."_

* * *

_Laurel sighed as she looked at Tommy. "I'm sorry about what Dad said. It was unfair."_

_Tommy nodded. "Honestly, I expected you to be pissed too."_

_Laurel took a breath. "For what? For Oliver cheating on me? Yes. I am. But… I accepted long ago that what happened with the yacht was an accident. The storm… I shouldn't have to blame him for that." Then, she looked at him. "Look, Tommy, if you found Sara, do you think that there's any chance that… Ollie…"_

_"If he is… I doubt I'd have as much luck with finding him as I had with Sara. I think all I can do is wait and hope that fate will help him find his way home." Tommy said honestly._

* * *

_**Four months ago** _

_After Oliver killed Konstantin Kovar in Russia, he was at the airport with Anatoly, preparing how would he explain the last five years away before a group of five men in black outfit, holding guns burst in, terrorizing people as they knelt down in fear._

_Oliver's instincts turned on as he attacked one of the men and disarmed him, firing at another thug before the remaining four men were shot down by black arrows. Oliver looked at who could have been shooting before he saw a figure in black hood on the opposite rooftop and he climbed on the ladder, chasing the figure as they jumped on wing of a plane and Oliver tackled the person to the ground. "What the hell are you playing at, Talia?"_

_The person stabbed a knife into Oliver's leg as he hissed. Then, he noticed that the person had female features as both of them got up and Oliver threw a punch but the woman dodged and grabbed Oliver from behind, grabbing him in chokehold as he passed out and everything faded to black._

* * *

_As Oliver came to, he was chained to a pillar and everything around him was dark as he looked around and to him was approaching a dark-haired woman, who seemed to have resemblance to Talia but it certainly was not her…_

_"You intervened in my mission. The League of Assassins does not take such insolence lightly, Mr. Queen."_

_"What…" Oliver whispered. "Who are you?"_

_"My name is Nyssa. Daughter of the Demon."_

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> The final year of Oliver's exile will diverge since here, Oliver managed to kill Konstantin Kovar in Russia, so no final showdown on Lian Yu happened, so that you're not confused.
> 
> So, what do you guys think about it?
> 
> Please review and let me know if you are enjoying this so far.


	3. First Target

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Oliver begins his crusade. In flashbacks we'll see his first unpleasant encounter with the Heir to the Demon.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Disclaimer: I do not own DC Comics or the CW TV shows Arrow, The Flash, Legends of Tomorrow or any other characters or elements pertaining to the mentioned franchises.

_**Present, CNRI** _

"Thank God you're back." Laurel managed to say as she was trying to hold back tears.

As she let go, Oliver just looked at her with blank expression, yet painful. "Laurel. All I can say is…"

"Don't." Laurel interrupted him as she took a breath. "I… I won't lie. I was mad at first, yes. But… after… after Sara came back and told me what you've both been through together… I… I just couldn't bring myself to hate you anymore. She told me about the island… and how you both tried to return home and… she was having these nightmares…" She sighed. "I don't know what you've been through over the last five years but I can only imagine how hard it must have been for you. Look, Ollie, I was mad at you at first but… I don't blame you for what happened with the yacht. Not anymore."

"Why not?" Oliver asked. "I deserve it…"

Laurel sighed. "Well, after Sara came back… I realized that what happened was partly my fault."

* * *

**_Three years ago, Starling City_ **

_It's been barely a month since Sara has returned. Sara had already told the reporters and Moira and Thea that she was rescued by a coming freighter and she and Oliver had tried to return home from Lian Yu but things didn't go as planned, causing for both of them to be separated. Whenever people tried to question her about the details, Sara shut them out immediately._

_One night, Laurel went out from her room, not being able to sleep as she was going to take a cup of juice from the kitchen, when she heard Sara whispering on the couch._

_"No. No… Ollie, please, we need to go… Ollie! Ollie!" She started to scream as Laurel was holding her hands._

_"Sara, it's OK, it's just a dream!" Laurel tried to assure her and then, next thing she knew, she fell off the couch as Sara pushed her away and pinned her back to the wall, curling to the ball, sobbing, much to Laurel's shock. She already figured that it must have been hard for her little sister, considering the scars she had seen on her body and what little she managed to get out from Sara as Laurel was holding her arms. "Sara, it's OK. Look at me. Please. You're safe now, I promise."_

_Sara just kept on crying. "Ollie…"_

_Laurel tried to soothe her as much as she could. "It's not your fault, OK?" It took a long moment before Sara stopped crying as Laurel was trying her best to console her. "What happened?" Sara just looked down on the floor, tears in her eyes. "Sara, I get if you don't want to talk about it but please, tell me what happened. You can't keep this inside you."_

_Sara breathed out in shock. "Ollie… he… he… he tried to save me. But…" She broke down as Laurel hugged her._

_"It's gonna be OK…"_

* * *

**_Present, CNRI_ **

"She didn't tell me much but… she told me she went with you, not because you were cheating on me but… that Tommy's party…" Laurel flushed in shame. "I… I realized that I may have brought this on myself. Look, I… know that it must have been hard for you and I get if you don't want to talk about it but if you need anything…"

Oliver nodded. "I appreciate the gesture, Laurel."

Laurel sighed. "I know that we may not go back to how things used to be between us… but… I mean, you tried to save Sara and… I don't know where are we gonna end up… but at the very least, I still want to be your friend. You did what you could to make things right."

Oliver smiled. "I can't ask for more than that."

Laurel again tightened the hug as she and Oliver smiled at each other, while Tommy was in the corner, smiling too.

* * *

Outside, Tommy was accompanying Oliver to the car as a van came out with men in demon masks, who knocked both playboys out and dragged them in the car.

* * *

**_Elsewhere in Starling City_ **

As Oliver came to, someone pulled up the bag from over his head as Oliver noticed that he was zip-cuffed to the chair as he noticed that around him were three men with demon masks as one of them used a Taser on Oliver.

"Mr. Queen, did your father survive the accident?" The man holding the Taser asked. "I ask the questions, you give me the answers." As Oliver remained silent, the man tased him once more, causing for Oliver to groan as he clenched his teeth.

"Did he make it to the island? Did he tell you anything?" The man asked once more and as Oliver again said nothing, he was tased again as he groaned.

Then, Oliver looked up at the man. "Yes, he did."

"What did he tell you, Mr. Queen?"

Oliver looked right into the eyeholes of the mask. "He told me I'm gonna kill you."

All three masked men laughed. "You're delusional. You're zip-cuffed to that chair."

Oliver showed the man his now-freed hands. "Not anymore." Suddenly, he punched the man in front of him before grabbing the chair to block the attack of another man before slamming the chair at him and using the wooden stake to stab the man in front of him in his chest before jamming the Taser under his jaw and grabbing the other man and using him as human shield as the third man started shooting. The second man was shot to death as the last thug started to run and Oliver started to chase him down, while the man was firing at him but Oliver was fast enough to evade the bullets before he jumped off the platform onto some chains, swinging around and engaging the man before he could reload and Oliver grabbed him in reverse choke.

"You killed that man." Oliver said.

"You don't have to do this." The thug gasped out.

"Yes, I do." Oliver shot back before there was a loud ' _crack_ ' as Oliver let go of the lifeless body of the thug. "Nobody can know my secret."

* * *

**_Later, Queen Manor_ **

"So that's your story. A guy in green hood flew in and single-handedly took out three armed kidnappers." Quentin summed up. "I mean, who is he? Why would he do that?"

"I don't know." Oliver shrugged. "Find him and you can ask."

"Yeah…" Quentin paused, skeptical before turning to Tommy. "What about you? You see the hood guy?"

"I saw…" Tommy paused before glancing towards Oliver. "Just movement. Everything blurry, I was kind of out of it."

"Yeah." Quentin said skeptically before turning to Oliver. "It's funny, isn't it? One day back and already somebody's gunning for you. Aren't you popular?"

"Were you able to identify the men?" Moira asked, narrowing her eyes at Quentin.

"Scrubbed identities, untraceable weapons." Hilton said. "These were pros."

Quentin sighed as he got up. "Look, Oliver, do us both a favor and try to stay out of trouble because I don't want to clean up your messes like I used to five years ago."

Oliver nodded.

"If Oliver can think of anything else, he'll be in touch." Walter said. "Thank you, gentlemen, for coming."

Both detectives then left before Quentin turned to Oliver one more time. "Look, I was pissed at you for letting my baby girl come with you but you helped her get home and she was hoping that you could make it back every single day. For your own sake, don't let her down."

* * *

Later, Oliver was going over the notebook as he looked at the name of Adam Hunt as he was also researching him on the computer.

"You are different." Raisa said as Oliver turned over the book and cleared the monitor. "Not like you to read a book."

"I missed you, Raisa." Oliver smiled at her.

"No kitchen, where you were?" She joked.

"No friends either." Oliver smiled before picking the tray and putting it on the bed. "Hey, thank you. Do I really seem different?"

"No, you're still a good boy." Raisa smiled.

"Oh, I think we both know I wasn't." Oliver replied.

"But a good heart." Raisa assured him.

"I hope so." Oliver smiled. "I want to be the person you always told me I could be."

* * *

As Oliver was leaving the manor, Moira stopped him. "Oliver. I want you to introduce to someone. I think you two know each other."

"John Diggle." Oliver smiled at the tall Afro-American next to his mother.

"Mr. Queen." Diggle shook his hand.

"We've met."

* * *

**_Later_ **

Diggle was driving down with Oliver. "It's been a long time, John."

"Not that long." Diggle said, smiling.

* * *

**_Four months ago, Russia_ **

_"Daughter of the Demon?" Oliver whispered as soon as he recovered. "What the hell does that mean?"_

_"I am the daughter of Ra's al Ghul." Nyssa explained. "And you were interfering in my mission."_

_"Ra's al Ghul…" Oliver whispered before remembering the stories he had heard in Hong Kong from Tatsu and Maseo and from Talia. "You're League of Assassins." He realized._

_"Yes. And I know, who you are, Oliver Queen." Nyssa nodded. "I have heard of you."_

_"How…" Oliver asked. "Were you studying me?"_

_"No." Nyssa said. "How I know about you is irrelevant. Give me one good reason I should not kill you right now." She pulled out her sword as Oliver tensed, trying to think of a way out._

_Then, he remembered Anatoly's trick, when he met him again in Russia few months ago. Oliver gulped before dislocating his thumbs as he screamed out in pain shortly before freeing himself from the restraints and attacking Nyssa, throwing a punch but Nyssa blocked and Oliver tried to hit her again but again, Nyssa blocked before she kicked him back but Oliver grabbed a pipe next to him and swung it but Nyssa used her sword to deflect Oliver's attack before she pinned him to the pillar._

_"Hey, easy. Easy." Oliver said. "How about we talk this through like civilized people?"_

_Nyssa stared at him for a moment. "I think you have forgotten your manners, when you attacked me. And, how did you know my sister? You called me Talia."_

_"Sister?" Oliver narrowed his eyes._

_"My sister. Talia al Ghul."_

_"I was her student." Oliver explained as she stepped back, surprised._

_"You're one of her disciples?"_

_"Yes." Oliver nodded._

_"Then…" Nyssa paused. "Perhaps, our interests are aligned."_

* * *

**_Present, Starling City_ **

Adam Hunt ordered Eric Gitter, the boss of CNRI, to take care of Laurel Lance as the lights started to explode and the guards drew out their guns, only for one of them to be shot down by arrows and Hunt rushed into his limo, hiding.

Another guard looked around and taunted. "Hey, you missed!"

He got a reply in form of a whooshing arrow flying right through his chest as he dropped dead.

* * *

Hunt sat in his limo in panic as a window shattered suddenly and the next thing he knew, he was yanked out through the window out of his limo as he faced a man in green hood standing on his car, with a bow and quiver as he scrambled back in panic and the archer aimed the arrow right at his chest.

"What the… just tell me what do you want!"

The archer jumped down from the car as he kept his gaze locked at the businessman, getting him up on his feet. "You're gonna transfer $40 million into Starling City bank account 1141 by 10 p.m. tomorrow night."

"Or what?" Hunt taunted.

"Or I'm gonna take it and you won't like how." The Hood warned before walking away and Hunt took a moment to get a hold of himself.

"If I see you again, you're dead!"

A moment later, an arrow flied right into the back window of his limo and Hunt turned around in shock and as he looked back, the Hood disappeared.

* * *

**_Later, the Foundry_ **

Oliver entered the basement, putting down his hood as Diggle was waiting for him. "I prepared a tuxedo for you, Oliver."

Oliver narrowed his eyes before it hit him. "Tommy…"

"Your ' _welcome home_ ' party." Diggle reminded.

* * *

**_Four months ago, Russia_ **

_"Who were these men back at the airport?" Oliver demanded as he followed Nyssa._

_"They work for a group called the Basilisk." Nyssa explained. "They're not as… honorable as your Bratva, Mr. Queen."_

_"Mobs?" Oliver asked._

_"Mercenaries." Nyssa corrected. "They seek power and control over these parts. I've been tasked to root them out."_

_Oliver sighed. Anatoly has been trying to make the lives of the people around better and the last thing he needed was another mercenary group causing trouble. "Let me help you."_

_"I can handle myself, Mr. Queen." Nyssa retorted._

_"One woman against a gang of mercenaries?" Oliver scoffed. "I don't think you can do this on your own."_

_Nyssa turned to him, glaring. "Stay out of my way." She said in a tone that made obvious what would happen if Oliver did otherwise as she walked away._

_'That's an interesting lady…' Oliver thought to himself._

* * *

_**Present** _

Oliver was entering the nightclub, where were Sara, Laurel and Tommy already waiting.

"Glad you're here!" Tommy shouted. "Everybody, hey, the man of the hour!"

And then, the song " _We Are the Champions_ " from Queen started to play as Oliver went up to the main stage in the middle of the floor. "Thank you very much, everybody!" Tommy handed him a shot as Oliver quickly gulped the drink. "I missed tequila!"

As he was mingling with the guests, then, he and Tommy were upstairs with Sara. "I'm glad you're back OK, Ollie." Sara smiled at him.

"Yeah." Oliver smiled before he turned to notice…

"Thea." Then he turned to Tommy, who raised his hands in surrender.

"I didn't invite her. I don't know what is she doing here." Tommy protested as he noticed Oliver's glare.

"God, no, not again…" Sara sighed.

" _What_?" Oliver snapped. "I know about the drugs, by the way."

"It's not just that." Tommy said sadly. "Look, I swear we've tried to set her straight but she's sort of following your footsteps, with the underage drinking, partying and so on."

Oliver quickly approached Thea. "Hey, Ollie, this party is sick." She grinned.

"Who let you in here?" Oliver demanded as he pulled her away from her friends.

"I believe it was somebody who said, ' _Right this way, Miss Queen._ '" Thea snapped.

"Well, you shouldn't be here." Oliver pointed out.

"I'm not twelve anymore." Thea snapped.

"No, you're seventeen." Oliver said.

Thea scoffed. "Ollie, I love you but you can't come back here and judge me, especially for being just like you."

Oliver sighed. "I know that it couldn't have been easy for you when I was… away…"

"Away?" Thea laughed sarcastically. "No, you died. My brother and my father died, I went to your funerals."

"I know…"

"No, you don't." Thea exploded. "Mom had Walter and I had no one, you guys all act like it's cool, let's forget about the last five years. Well, I can't. For me, it's kind of permanent in here! So, I'm sorry, if I turned out to be some major disappointment but this… me is the best I could do with what I had to work with." Oliver closed his eyes as Thea turned back to her friends. "Let's bounce."

Oliver stalked away as he tossed into the trash bin a packet of drugs from Thea's purse before he encountered Laurel as he looked surprised. "Hey, Laurel."

"Hi, Ollie. Nice party." Laurel smiled. "Look, I hope you're doing fine after…" She stopped herself as Oliver picked up his phone as it rang. "Is everything OK?"

"I asked someone to do something, they didn't do it." Oliver said. "Sorry, we'll talk later."

"Sure." Laurel nodded.

Oliver gestured towards Diggle, who followed him outside as he opened the trunk and revealed a green hood and bow and quiver.

* * *

**_Hunt Multinational_ **

The lights on the floor went out as the elevator dinged and the doors opened, with an arrow shooting out, killing two guards as the Hood burst out, attacking the guards with his sticks, beating them up before taking a cover behind a pillar before engaging another guard and snapping his neck as another guard fired, while the Hood moved behind another pillar. He shot down another guard before attacking the final one, hitting him in the face and then crushing his throat with his bow as he fired at the wall behind Adam Hunt.

"You missed." Hunt sneered.

"Really?" The Hood smirked before the security chief Constantine Drakon attacked him, disarming him but the Hood held his own before Drakon pulled out a knife as the Hood blocked and disarmed him as they fell to the floor as Drakon grabbed the gun of one of the guards as the Hood took cover behind Hunt's desk. Drakon opened fire before the Hood jumped over the table and threw the flechette at Drakon, killing him before he passed out on the floor. A moment later, he came to before the cops entered, causing for the hood to retreat as he rushed to the zip-line with his bow as Quentin and Hilton stared.

* * *

**_Later_ **

The police entered the club, interrupting the party.

"Daddy, what are you doing here?" Sara asked as she, Oliver, Tommy and Laurel walked over.

"Well, there was an incident at Adam Hunt's building tonight. You know anything about that?" Quentin inquired.

"Who's Adam Hunt?" Oliver tried playing dumb.

"He's a millionaire bottom feeder, no offense." Quentin said quickly, raising hands as Oliver and Tommy shot him glares. "He just got attacked by the guy with the hood, the guy that saved your ass the other day."

"The hood guy." Oliver said.

"Yeah." Quentin nodded.

"You didn't find him?" Oliver asked with a smile. "I'm gonna offer a reward." He turned around. "Hey, everybody! $2 million to anybody that can find a nutbar in a green hood!"

Quentin let out an amused chuckle. "Very funny, Oliver."

He and Hilton left the scene as Sara turned to Oliver. "So, Adam Hunt got attacked by Robin Hood…"

Oliver just smirked, keeping his thoughts to himself as Sara shook her head, laughing.

* * *

**_Four months ago, Russia_ **

_As Oliver discreetly followed Nyssa, he noticed a small airstrip, where were some men dragging a woman into an airplane as Oliver saw in one of the trucks a muscular Afro-American, who was cuffed and gagged as he put the gag down. "Who are you?"_

_"Diggle. John Diggle."_

_"What's going on?" Oliver asked._

_"They're kidnapping my client…" Diggle paused as he recognized Oliver Queen. "You… you died. You died five years ago."_

_"Shhh." Oliver raised his fingers as he heard gunshots and then looked at the airstrip as there was a woman in black hood shooting arrows. "Stay down. I'll come for you later, I promise."_

_Diggle nodded as Oliver rushed to the scene. "It's not like I'm going anywhere."_

* * *

**_Present_ **

As Oliver crossed off Hunt's name off the list and returned the money he stole to the people it belongs to, he went out as Diggle followed him.

"I want to be alone, Dig." Oliver ordered as Diggle nodded.

* * *

A young woman was going out from shower in a penthouse as she had towels around her body and her wet hair before she stopped herself, smirking as her instincts turned on and she turned around, while Oliver kissed her fiercely.

"It's been a while, Nyssa."

"I missed you, Oliver." Nyssa smiled as they were making out on bed a moment later as he ripped away her towel.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> So, what do you guys think about it?
> 
> Please review and let me know if you are enjoying this so far.


	4. The Triad

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Oliver has to protect Laurel from dangerous Triad, while facing one of their deadliest assassins.
> 
> In flashbacks, Oliver gets to know better his new allies as he needs to protect them from incoming danger.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Disclaimer: I do not own DC Comics or the CW TV shows Arrow, The Flash, Legends of Tomorrow or any other characters or elements pertaining to the mentioned franchises.

The Hood engaged six armed guards, taking them down with precise punches, kicks and strikes from his bow and as he disposed of the last of them, he grabbed the businessman from the helicopter platform onto an air conditioning unit, a few inches away from the spinning fan blades.

"Whoa, whoa, easy, wait, no, please…"

"Marcus Redman, you have failed this city!" The archer snarled, with his voice changer on.

"Please, don't!" Redman begged as the Hood neared him.

"Cell phone, inside pocket, call your partner. Tell him to give those pensioners back their money. Do it now."

"OK!" The man complied as the Hood let him go.

* * *

**_Later, the Lair_ **

Diggle was watching the news report on TV, where was news report about Marcus Redman and the sketch of the Hood.

" _Over the past 15 years, Mr. Redman has withdrawn more than $30 million from the plan's account. Mr. Redman claims refunding the Halcyon pension plan has always been his intent. But sources say Redman was coerced by the vigilante._ "

He smirked as he turned off the TV.

* * *

**_Queen Manor_ **

"This guy gets more airtime than the Kardashians, right?" Oliver drawled as Moira, Walter and Thea were watching the same news report on TV.

Thea shot her brother an amused look. "Five years on an island and you still know who they are."

Oliver chuckled. "I've been catching up, it's nice to see how much our culture has improved while I was away."

"But the city used to be different. People used to feel safe." Moira murmured in response.

"Aw, what's the matter, mom?" Thea asked sarcastically. "Afraid we're gonna be next?"

"Do you have any questions today, Oliver?" Walter asked. "It's a simple proof-of-life declaration. Just read out a brief, prepared statement to the judge and then your death-in-absentia judgement will be voided."

Oliver chuckled. "It's fine, Walter, I've been in a courtroom before."

"Four times by my estimate." Tommy said upon entering. "You know, there was the DUI, the assault on that paparazzi douchebag, stealing that taxi, which was just awesome by the way and who could forget peeing on the cop?"

Oliver blushed lightly in embarrassment as Moira looked annoyed. "I wish everyone could."

"I'd hang but we're headed to court." Oliver said with a smile.

"I know, that's why I'm here, my best friend is getting legally resurrected; I wouldn't miss this for the world."

"Right." Oliver sighed before turning to Thea. "What about you?"

"Oh, I think the first four times of you in court was enough for me." Thea said sarcastically, walking out of the room.

"Fair enough." Oliver sighed sadly.

"Mr. Queen? Car's ready." Diggle said as he entered.

* * *

**_Four months ago, Russia_ **

_The plane was taking off as Nyssa climbed up on the tire and as one of the pilots was going down to pull the lever that would retract the tires, she snuck up on him from the shadows and snapped his neck before realizing someone was in the plane with her as well. "Come on out, now!" Oliver, in green hood slowly went out as she stared. "Not many people are able to sneak up on me like that. I'm impressed."_

_"You did not have to kill him." Oliver pointed out as he looked at the dead pilot._

_"He was in my way." Nyssa said coldly as she was going up and Oliver then heard banging and groaning as he went up and saw Nyssa beating up a mercenary with a machine gun as she stabbed another mercenary with her sword and Oliver spun around and shot an arrow into another thug._

_"Help! Please!" They heard a woman scream._

_Oliver and Nyssa rushed deeper into the plane as they notched their arrows as there was a man holding a young girl around fifteen years old as a hostage, aiming the gun at her head. "Drop it, or I'll kill her!" The man shouted in Russian._

_For a short moment, they were in a stand-off but Nyssa quickly let go of the arrow as it sliced off the man's fingers off the trigger, while hitting him in the throat, with the gun hanging on the arrow as the woman screamed before Oliver approached her slowly. "It's alright, you're safe now." He assured her with raised hands as he spoke in Russian._

_"No one is going to hurt you." Nyssa translated as the girl sobbed into Oliver's shoulder._

* * *

**_Present, Starling City Courthouse_ **

"There was a storm. The boat went down." Oliver said, making his statement. "I was the only survivor. My father didn't make it. I almost died. I… I thought that I had because I spent so many days on that life raft before I saw land. When I reached it, I knew that I was gonna have to live for both of us. And in those five years, it was that one thought that kept me going."

"Your honor, we move to vacate the death-in-absentia filed after Oliver's disappearance at sea aboard the Queen's Gambit five years ago. Unfortunately, we will not be requesting that the declaration of death filed for the petitioner's father, Robert Queen, be rescinded. The Queen family is only entitled to have one miracle, I'm afraid."

* * *

A few moments later, Oliver, Diggle, Moira, Walter and Tommy headed out from the courtroom as they were walking downstairs.

"Now, onto the offices." Moira said. "Everyone is waiting to meet you there."

Then, Tommy gave her a pointed look. "Miss Queen, don't take this the wrong way but I'm not sure Oliver is in the right mindset at the moment to head to the offices."

"Thomas has a point, Moira." Walter acknowledged. "Queen Consolidated can wait tomorrow."

Moira considered for a moment. "Very well, if you think that's for the best." She said, disappointed.

As Diggle, Tommy and Oliver were walking down the stairs, they both stopped as they encountered Laurel, Joanna and another girl, who were entering the courthouse.

"Ollie. Hey. I wasn't expecting to see you here." Laurel smiled.

"Jo, Laurel." Tommy smiled. "I don't believe we've had the pleasure of meeting your friend."

"Emily Nocenti." The girl said as she shook hand with Oliver.

"Oliver Queen." He introduced himself. "My best friend, Tommy Merlyn."

"Oliver and Tommy and I are… old friends."

As they were heading towards the exit, they saw the reporters interviewing Martin Sommers. "I don't know what I've done to earn this witch hunt from Miss Lance and her bosses at CNRI but I can tell you this, I am an honest businessman and I will fight this slander to my last dime and breath. That's all I have to say." Sommers smiled as he was leaving.

"That guy's so full of it." Tommy scoffed as he and Laurel glared at Sommers before Tommy and Diggle accompanied Oliver to his car, forcing their way past the reporters.

* * *

**_The Foundry_ **

"Did you know your sister was after Martin Sommers?" Oliver demanded as he walked downstairs and Sara widened her eyes.

"What?!" She exclaimed. "No!" Sara wiped her face. "God, what is she thinking?"

Oliver sighed. "Do we have anything on him?"

"Not much." Sara said as she turned to the computer. "At least, nothing that would stick for the police."

"Then it's up to me." Oliver said.

* * *

**_Later at night, Starling City Docks_ **

"You, listen up!" Sommers yelled at his attorney in anger. "The longer this goes on, the more likely the media is gonna crucify me. You shut this trial down, do you understand me?"

Suddenly, the lights went off as the sound of three arrows whooshing through the air went off and when they turned on again, his attorney and his two bodyguards were lying on the ground. "What the hell?" Somers muttered before someone grabbed him from behind into the shadows.

* * *

When Somers came to, he realized he was hanging upside down, swinging from one side to another like a pendulum as in front of him stood the archer in green hood.

"Martin Sommers, you have failed this city!" The Hood shouted as he fired an arrow as it nearly missed Sommers's face.

"No, no, no, no, no!" Somers yelled in panic.

"You're gonna testify in that trial. You're gonna confess to having Victor Nocenti killed." The Hood said in a menacing tone. "There won't be a second warning." He fired another arrow that scratched Sommers's face and as he looked up again, the vigilante vanished.

* * *

**_Later, penthouse_ **

As the archer jumped down through the roof window, he put his bow on a desk and took off his hood as he looked at his scars in the mirror before Oliver entered the room, where was a naked woman in the bed, sleeping peacefully as Oliver put away his hood and lifted the sheet as he laid on bed and gently ran his fingers down her back.

Nyssa giggled as she turned around, slightly opening her eyes. "There was a time you wouldn't be able to sneak up on me without me having the urge to slit your throat."

"Then again, you didn't know me that well yet back then…" Oliver smiled as they started to kiss passionately, while sharing a soft laugh.

* * *

**_Four months ago, Russia_ **

_As the police was interviewing the girl, a bearded man was watching the scene from airport before he gasped upon turning around. "Oliver! I thought they…"_

_"You know I'm not that easy to kill." Oliver said. "But I'm not heading back to Lian Yu yet. Konstantin Kovar was just the beginning. We have other concerns to worry about."_

_"What's going on, my brother?" Anatoly asked carefully._

* * *

**_Present, Queen Manor_ **

"Where do you think my son is going on these chaperone-less excursions?" Moira asked as she was pacing down the living room as she was talking with Diggle.

"Madame, with all due respect, Oliver is a grown man and he assured me that he will be in a safe place for the rest of the night and that I did not need to be concerned." Diggle said calmly.

"And neither do you, Mom." Oliver said as he entered the room, while Moira glared.

"If I don't need to be worried, then perhaps you'd like to share with me, where it is you run off to." Moira said.

"I spent the night with… someone interesting." Oliver said with a pointed look as it hit Moira.

"I see." She said slowly with amused smile, despite her worries. "I would have thought that five years of seclusion would make you mature a lot."

"Mom, when I was away, I… didn't exactly have the luxury of having some… occasional distractions." Oliver said as Moira shook her head, letting out quiet giggle.

"Well, it's nice to see that some things about you haven't changed. But this isn't a game." She looked at him seriously. "I lost you once and I am not going through this again."

She walked out of the room as Oliver noticed Thea trying to sneak out from the manor. "Where are you going?"

Thea stopped herself before facing Oliver. "Uh, somewhere loud and smoky. And don't bother trying to pickpocket my stash this time because I'm gonna get drunk instead." She crossed her arms.

Oliver neared his sister with worried look. "Thea, do you think this is what Dad would want for you?"

"Dead men don't want anything, it's one of the benefits of being dead." She shot back.

"I was dead. And I wanted a lot." Oliver said.

"Except for you family." Thea retorted icily. "You've been home a week and all you do is avoid Mom, ignore Walter and judge me." She glared at Oliver before turning around. "Don't wait up."

* * *

**_Later, Queen Consolidated_ **

As Oliver, Moira and Walter were walking down the offices, Oliver stopped himself as he realized what was the tour about.

"Mom, I don't want to lead anything, besides, Walter is doing a very good job here."

"You said that you wanted to be a different person." Moira reminded. "And you are Robert Queen's son."

Oliver sighed, his frustration rising up. "Mom… I get that you want me to be the way you want to see me. But I'm not a businessman like you or Dad… or Walter. And I never will be."

Moira glared. "You know, five years ago, your irresponsibility was somewhat charming, it is a lot less now."

"You have no idea what I've been through!" Oliver snapped, leaving Moira and Walter stunned as Diggle sighed.  _Finally, they pressed too hard on him..._  "For the last five years, I wasn't Oliver Queen, son of Moira and Robert Queen of one of the richest families in Starling City. I was… a lost man, finding his way home, who had to claw and fight every single day to stay alive. And I have been home for barely a week and you're expecting me to be this… fantasized picture of a perfect son?" Moira and Walter stared at him, stunned. "Do you honestly think that after all that, in a short time, since I've been home, I am ready to be a CEO? You can't expect me to be something like that after I just came home from five years of hell!" He raised his voice as Moira and Walter looked appalled, having no idea how Oliver was feeling. "Before the Gambit, I was just an irresponsible playboy. For the past five years, I was a survivor… and I don't know what I am now. But what I do know… is that I'm not this " _perfect son_ " you want me to be. And I'm not sure I ever will be. I… I'm trying to find my own way… but I can't find it if you keep forcing me being something I'm not."

"Oliver…" Moira paused, not sure what to say as Oliver went to the elevator with Diggle as she and Walter looked stunned and ashamed that they haven't thought of Oliver's feelings better.

* * *

**_Three years ago, Starling City_ **

_Quentin, Sara and Laurel were at the table, eating dinner as Laurel spoke up. "Have you thought about what would you like to study?"_

_"What?" Sara asked, surprised as she looked up._

_Laurel sighed. "Look, Sara, it's been… six months and I understand that you need time to readjust."_

_"The therapist said that you're doing fine and she was suggesting maybe it's time for you to go out again and live. I spoke to Moira and she is willing to pay tuition for you."_

_Sara raised her hands. "I… I can't ask her for that."_

_"She's offering it and she insists." Laurel pointed out._

_Sara considered for a moment. Since, she had a year worth of medicine knowledge, it wouldn't hurt to expand her horizons… "Maybe… med school?"_

* * *

**_The next day, Queen Manor_ **

Oliver was watching the news with report of Martin Sommers before putting on his shirt but Thea managed to see the scars as she burst in.

"Wait, how did you get those?"

"Don't you knock?" Oliver snapped, frustrated as he tried to cover his scars.

Thea neared Oliver, opening his shirt as she stared in shock at his body. "No, wait, Mom said that there were scars but… I'm…" She took a breath before being able to speak up. "Oliver, what happened to you out there?"

Oliver took a moment to get ahold of himself before buttoning his shirt. "I don't want to talk about it."

"Of course you don't." Thea scoffed. "You never want to talk to me about anything, except for my social life."

"Wait!" Oliver called out as Thea was about to leave. "Where are you going?"

"Why should I tell you?" Thea demanded as she crossed her arms.

Oliver sighed. "I'm sorry, Thea. I need to get better at talking about what happened to me there. But I'm not ready yet. OK?"

Thea stared at Oliver for a moment. "Do you have a second?"

Oliver followed Thea to the garden behind the manor, where were two gravestones where were carved:

_Robert Queen_

_1958-2007_

_A leader, a husband_

The second gravestone had carved:

_Oliver Queen_

_1985-2007_

_A loving son and brother, whose light was diminished far too soon_

"Sometimes, when I felt… whatever, I'd come here." Thea said. "About a month after the funerals, Mom stopped going out. Pretty soon, she stopped talking altogether. The house got quiet, so I'd come here." She walked over to Oliver's gravestone, pointing at it. "To talk to you." She said, holding back tears. "I mean, stupid stuff. Like what I was doing today, what boy I had a crush on. And them, sometimes, I'd ask you, beg you to find your way home to me." She turned to Oliver. "Now, here you are. And the truth is, I felt closer to you, when you were dead. Look, I know it was hell, where you were. But it was hell here too. You gotta let me in, Ollie." She implored. "You gotta let someone in." She left Oliver alone with his thoughts.

* * *

**_Later, Laurel's Apartment_ **

Laurel was going over her case on Victor Nocenti when a knock at her door startled her as she checked through the peephole and sighed as she opened the door.

"Hi." Oliver said timidly as he held a brown paper bag in his hand. "Are you OK? There are two cops outside."

"More or less." Laurel sighed. "What are you doing here, Ollie?"

"My sister took." Oliver admitted. "She pointed out to me that I have been distant since I got back and that it would probably be a good idea if I let somebody in."

"So, why come to me?" Laurel asked.

Oliver sighed. "I thought… it was for the best, for old times sakes."

Laurel smiled as she let him in. "I haven't really had time to redecorate."

"I'm a jerk. Before that island, I was a jerk and now I'm just a… I'm a damaged jerk." Oliver said as Laurel faced him and couldn't help but feel sorry for her ex-boyfriend.

"What's in the bag?" She asked.

Oliver reached out for it with a smile. "I thought about many things, when I was away but there was one thing that I thought about every day." He said with a smile. "I actually dreamed about it and I promised myself that if I ever got a chance to do it again, I'd do it with you." He said as he pulled from the small paper bag in his hand a tub of chocolate ice cream. "Eat ice cream."

Laurel smiled as she started to eat it with her ex-boyfriend. "This is as good as I remember. My mother wants me to join the company." She raised her brows. "Yeah, take my rightful place."

"I can't exactly picture you as master of the universe." Laurel pointed out honestly.

Oliver smiled. "You know, after five years, I have plans, I have things that I have to do, I can't do that if I'm… I don't know… attending board meetings and stockholder briefings."

"Oliver?" Laurel asked. "You're an adult. You can say ' _no_ '."

"Oh, I tried. Didn't take."

"Well, then don't tell her. Show her. Be the person you want her to see you as. Trust me, I have plenty of experience with disapproving parents."

Oliver laughed. "I've met some people, who have had some trouble with disapproving fathers too, when I was away."

Laurel smiled. "Ollie… what exactly happened to you? After the freighter?"

Oliver turned to her. "What did Sara tell you?"

Laurel sighed. "That there was some doctor, who taught her a lot but… he wasn't who he thought he was. And that when they found you, then… he caused a lot of things to go badly then you were both separated. I never dared to push further because after that she'd shut me and Dad out."

Oliver took a breath. “Laurel… I don’t think you would believe me if I…” He stopped himself before Oliver picked the knife.

“Ollie?” Laurel asked warily.

“Did you hear that?” Oliver asked.

“What?”

“There’s someone on the fire escape.” Oliver stood up slowly before grabbing Laurel’s hand. “Hey, come on.”

"What?" Laurel asked as Oliver dragged her, when a large Asian man with a gun burst in and started to shoot and Oliver and Laurel took cover while an Asian woman with stark white hair and a pair of karambit knives in her hands entered before Diggle entered, shooting both of the hitmen down and engaging China White, and though he was able to strip her of one of her knives, she was too fast as she knocked him on the floor and was about to stab him before Oliver threw a kitchen knife to her direction, knocking the blade out of the assassin's hand as she looked up in surprise and then rushed out from the apartment.

"You both OK?" Diggle asked as he scrambled up on his feet as Oliver nodded.

A short time later, Quentin ran in, checking in on Laurel as he embraced her tightly.

"Daddy!" Laurel cried out.

"Oh, thank God." Quentin sighed in relief. "Thank God, are you alright?"

"I'm OK." She assured him, then asked the question she didn't want to know the answer to. "Those cops that you put on me…"

"They…" Quentin paused before turning to Diggle, who replied in his place.

"I went outside to ask for a light and they were both dead in the squad car."

Then, a moment later, a young man around 30 years old entered. "Laurel, is everything OK?"

"I'm OK, Adrian." Laurel assured him.

"Don't worry, it's alright." Quentin added as Oliver looked confused.

"Care to introduce us?" Oliver asked.

Laurel then glanced at both of them. "Ollie, this is a friend from District Attorney's office. Adrian Chase. Adrian, this is…"

"Oliver Queen, I know who you are." Adrian said, shaking hand with Oliver.

"What are you doing here?" Laurel asked.

"I was gonna ask you for Sommers's case, when I heard about the break-in." Adrian explained. "You think that he was behind this?" He asked Quentin, who sighed as he glared at Laurel.

"I told you this would happen." Then, he turned to Oliver, Adrian and Diggle. "Could you please leave us in private?"

"Sure." Oliver nodded as they left outside.

"So, you're Oliver Queen." Adrian said as he measured Oliver head to toe.

"Yes." Oliver said.

"From what Laurel told me, I expected… worse." Adrian said.

"Do you have a problem with me, Mr. Chase?" Oliver asked calmly.

"It's nothing personal." Adrian said with hard look. "But I think for your own sake, try to stay out of trouble. You wouldn't want Laurel or Sara or anyone else get dragged into the mess you're getting caught in again, would you?"

"No, I wouldn't." Oliver said as Adrian walked down the hall.

* * *

**_Later, the Lair_ **

"You're not gonna do what I think you are, are you?" Sara asked as she saw the look on Oliver's face as he put on his hood and his bow.

"I warned him, and he went after Laurel. He had his chance."

* * *

**_At the same time, the Docks_ **

"That bitch screwed the hit on Lance." Somers growled as he was packing the money up. "Now, the Triad is gonna erase every ounce of evidence of their smuggling operation, including me. Except that's not gonna happen." He closed up the case and looked back to his man. "Tell Wallace to get the boat ready. I'm leaving tonight."

"Wallace? Wallace, do you copy?" The thug called into the radio. "Wallace?"

" _Wallace isn't here but I am._ " The mysterious voice said and Sommers paled, instantly recognizing it from the other night.

* * *

Sommers ran into a building as he heard someone shouting behind him.

"Sommers!" The Hood yelled as he jumped down and fired an arrow, pinning Sommers to a crate.

"Oh, God, no, no, no…" Sommers cried out as the Hood notched another arrow.

"He can't help you." The archer growled. "I want the truth about Victor Nocenti." He demanded as the arrow pinned the businessman's right shoulder to the crate.

"I can't!" Sommers exclaimed. "The Triad will kill me!"

"The Triad's not your concern right now!" The Hood snarled and as Sommers did not reply, he fired another arrow below Sommers' crotch.

"Alright, alright, alright!" Sommers cried out. "It wasn't me that killed him, it was the Triad!"

"Acting on whose instruction?" The Hood demanded before shooting another arrow right above Sommers's head. "Whose?"

"Alright, alright, it was mine!" He confessed. "It was mine, alright? Nocenti said he was gonna testify against me." Suddenly, Sommers paled as the Asian woman with stark white hair appeared behind the archer.

" _Move away from him._ " She ordered in Chinese.

" _Make me._ " The Hood replied in the same language as she attacked him with her knives and he blocked each strike with his bow before she kicked him down on the ground as they heard sirens.

" _This is the police! Put down your weapons and stand down or we will open fire. I repeat, lay down your weapons!_ "

Both White and the Hood glanced at each other before fleeing the scene but as the Hood was approaching his bike, Quentin stopped him with his gun drawn. "Freeze! You twitch and you're dead. Bow down, hands up."

For a moment, they stood in place before the Hood disarmed Quentin by throwing a flechette and letting it hang at the container behind Quentin as the Hood disappeared. Quentin neared the flechette and noticed there was a blinking green light as he pressed the button.

" _Alright, alright, it was mine, it was mine, alright? Nocenti said he was gonna testify against me…_ "

"Son of a bitch." Quentin glared.

* * *

**_Later, Nyssa's penthouse_ **

Nyssa was beating up a wooden dummy with bamboo sticks as she had a tank top and simple jeans on before Oliver kissed her neck from behind as she giggled before he took off her top as they both went into the shower room.

* * *

**_Four months ago, Russia_ **

_Oliver went to the police station, where was Diggle and the young girl, in a blanket as Diggle neared Oliver._

_"Thanks. You saved my client." He shook hand with Oliver._

_"You're welcome." Oliver said._

_Diggle crossed his arms. "You're Oliver Queen. You're supposed to be dead."_

_Oliver raised his hands. "It's… complicated."_

_"I'm sure it is." Diggle said. "Mind filling me in?"_

_"It's a long story." Oliver pointed out._

_"I have time." Diggle argued before turning to the girl behind him._

_"Who is she?" Oliver asked._

_"A daughter of my client. Mia Dearden." Diggle said._

_"Where are her parents?" Oliver asked._

_"Mother died. She was studying abroad and I was supposed to accompany her home to her father in Seattle." Diggle said. "But this happened. These mercenaries tried to take her as ransom."_

_"They call themselves the Basilisk. Don't worry about them, I'll handle it." Oliver assured him._

_"You're gonna take them all on your own?" Diggle stared._

_"I'm not alone." Oliver assured him._

_"Look, why won't you let the authorities handle it?" Diggle asked._

_"Do you honestly believe the police and FBI can help her?" Oliver pointed out as Diggle sighed._

_"We'll be leaving tomorrow."_

_"You can't guarantee they won't try to take her again." Oliver said. "We can protect her."_

_"We?" Diggle repeated before next to Oliver appeared Anatoly._

* * *

_From around the corner, Nyssa was observing, intrigued by Oliver…_

* * *

**_Present, morning, Nyssa's penthouse_ **

Oliver let Nyssa lay peacefully on his chest as he fondled her hair with his fingers. As his phone rang on the nightstand, Oliver picked it up to see flashing "MOM". Oliver answered the call, preparing to be yelled at.

"Mom, look, I…"

" _Oliver. Walter and I have been thinking all night about what you said to us the other day and… you're right. I wanted to apologize about what happened yesterday and… I suppose I cannot just expect you to be, who I want you to be. It's just that… I missed you and I shouldn't have to push you into something you're not ready. But… whatever you decide, I'll support you._ " Moira said. " _I just… I don't want to lose you again. But I understand that it's going to take time before we find again the way to each other. Just promise me that you will not worry us too much like you used to._ "

Oliver smiled. "I can't promise that but… I'll try my best, Mom."

There was a pause but Oliver was sure Moira was smiling. " _That's all I can ask for._ "

Oliver hung up as Nyssa was slowly opening her eyes. "Is everything alright?"

Oliver smiled. "Everything's fine." He kissed her, while he ran his fingers down the skin on her back.

* * *

_**Elsewhere in Starling City** _

China White was putting her knives in a cabinet as she was thinking about, who was the man in the green hood before remembering seeing Oliver Queen earlier in Laurel Lance's apartment. And then, suddenly, a memory hit her, when she met Oliver Queen in Hong Kong two years ago and suddenly, all the pieces fell together as she smirked… yes, her revenge will be so sweet, but not just yet…

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Adrian Chase is not Prometheus here but I have my plans for him in this story.
> 
> So, what do you guys think about it?
> 
> Please review and let me know if you are enjoying this so far.


	5. The Sniper

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Oliver and Nyssa go after one of the world-class asssassins as she is introduced closer to Oliver's friends.
> 
> In flashbacks, Diggle's client turns out to be in a lot of trouble as Oliver, Anatoly, Diggle and Nyssa need to protect her.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Disclaimer: I do not own DC Comics or the CW TV shows Arrow, The Flash, Legends of Tomorrow or any other characters or elements pertaining to the mentioned franchises.

James Holder was gloating, in his bathrobe, talking to a business associate over the phone about Unidac Industries before hanging up and putting the phone on a couch, taking a bottle of beer, only for it to be shattered by an arrow a moment later as the businessman turned around to face the archer in green hood.

"I have armed security outside; all I have to do is call out."

"Go ahead." The Hood smirked. "They can't hear you." He tossed two pistols on the floor as Holder paled, realizing there was no one around to save him.

"What the hell do you want?" Holder asked, frightened.

"How many people died in those fires?" The Hood growled. "How many?! The courts say you don't owe your victims anything; I disagree. James Holder, you…" He was interrupted by a gunshot ringing through the air as on Holder's chest appeared a red spot, right where his heart was before his lifeless body fell into the water. The Hood quickly turned around, firing arrows towards the approximate position of the shooter while taking cover behind a wooden wall but one bullet managed to graze his arm before everything went silent and the Hood looked down at his wound as soon as he was sure area was secure.

* * *

**_Later, Nyssa's penthouse_ **

Nyssa pulled out the bullet from Oliver's shoulder as she finished stitching up the wound. "I thought you were more agile than that."

"It… it was unexpected." Oliver said. "I'm guessing Holder had more enemies, which shouldn't surprise me." He neared his notebook and crossed off the name before he suddenly started to feel dizzy as he staggered.

"Oliver, are you alright?" Nyssa asked.

"The bullet… poison…" Oliver managed to whisper and Nyssa immediately went to a box full of medical supplies, preparing a mixture before forcing it into Oliver's mouth as he passed out.

* * *

**_Four months ago, Russia_ **

_"Where are we going, Mr. Diggle?" Mia asked as she was in the car with Diggle, Anatoly and Oliver, who was driving._

_"Somewhere safe." Anatoly said. "We can offer you protection."_

_"Not that I'm not grateful but could you please tell me who the heck are you, guys and what's going on?" Mia demanded._

_"You tell us." Oliver demanded. "Why were they trying to kidnap you, Mia?"_

_Mia sighed. "I honestly don't know. My Dad's rich, so probably ransom."_

_Oliver turned to Diggle. "Has something like that happened to you before, Mr. Diggle?"_

_Diggle nodded. "Though they weren't that bold."_

_"Chert." Anatoly swore in Russian as they had to stop, being stuck in a small traffic jam._

* * *

**_Present_ **

As Oliver came to, he heard sizzling as he put on his shirt, while Nyssa was preparing food on frying pan as she put it on table. Oliver got up from the bed clumsily as he neared her. "What… what happened?"

"The bullet was poisoned. Curare. Very deadly." Nyssa explained.

"Poisoned bullets?" Oliver repeated. "What…"

"I've heard rumors of a man, who uses such cowardly and dishonorable method of killing." Nyssa said angrily. "They call him Deadshot because he never misses. He even took out some of the people the League was after."

Then, Oliver's phone rang. "Yes, Diggle?"

* * *

**_Later, Queen Manor_ **

As Oliver and Nyssa entered the manor, Moira, Walter and Thea were talking with two cops as Thea was sitting on the couch.

"What happened?" Oliver asked Diggle at the doorway. "Thea OK?"

"The cops brought her home, her and some of her friends broke into a store, tried on some dresses last night. Lit up the breathalyzer like a Christmas tree." Diggle explained.

"Oh, dear…" Nyssa muttered.

"Thank you, officers. My wife and I appreciate it." Walter told them before accompanying them. "I'll see you out."

"Last time it was public intoxication, this time breaking and entering." Moira scolded Thea. "My, how are we moving up in the criminal world."

Thea got up from her seat. "You know, when you pay off the store owner, you should check out the merchandise. They got some pretty killer outfits."

"Thea, go get ready for school." Moira ordered.

"Uh, you know, I was thinking of taking a sick day." Thea said.

"Fine, then get some sleep." Moira said tiredly.

Thea smiled sarcastically as she looked at Nyssa warily. "I better be careful around Ollie if I were you."

"I would be more concerned about yourself in your place. You should reconsider your attitude." Nyssa said pointedly as Thea shot her a glare before waltzing off.

"You're letting her play hooky?" Oliver asked Moira incredulously.

"When your sister gets like this, it's best to give her space."

"I think it would be more reasonable to tighten the leash… how do you Americans put it,  _give her some tough love_?" Nyssa tried.

Moira stared at the woman next to Oliver, as if she had noticed her just now. "I'm sorry, you are…"

"Mom, I should introduce you." Oliver introduced Moira and Nyssa as they shook hands. "Nyssa, this is my mother, Moira Queen. Mom, meet Nyssa Raatko. She's… an investor for the nightclub I'm preparing. We've met, when I was away."

"And I am certain that the business Mr. Queen is planning can bring some fruits, given the proper care." Nyssa said.

"I see." Moira said before noticing how they were looking at each other. "How exactly did you meet my son?"

Oliver cleared his throat. "A few months ago, when I was away… we've met when we had… mutual business going on."

"And since then, we've established a sort of… partnership." Nyssa finished as Moira narrowed her eyes.

* * *

**_Later, the Foundry_ **

"That could have gone worse." Oliver said.

"I am not as unfamiliar with your customs as you might expect." Nyssa teased as they were walking down the upper level with Tommy and Diggle as Oliver looked at the former foreman's offices.

"Private offices."

"For the private one-on-one meetings, I would imagine." Tommy said.

"Hopefully the occasional two-on-one meeting." Oliver joked as Nyssa smiled, amused at the idea, yet she could barely refrain herself from rolling her eyes.

"And… don't get this the wrong way but… did you have any experience with running… anything, when you were away?" Tommy asked carefully as Oliver gave him a slightly offended look.

"I am certain that together, we can find a way to make it work." Nyssa said.

Tommy smiled. "Ollie told me you were a woman of many talents."

"You have no idea." Oliver nodded.

"How about tomorrow the three of us, we go and scope out the competition." Tommy suggested. "There's a new club opening downtown. It's called Poison. Max Fuller owns it."

" _Max Fuller_?" Oliver asked.

"Uh-huh." Tommy nodded.

"You know this man?" Nyssa asked.

"I slept with his fiancé." Oliver explained as Nyssa rolled her eyes.

"Of course you did."

"Yeah, before the wedding."

"It was at the rehearsal dinner."

"The rehearsal dinner is technically before the wedding, right?"

"Where I come from, this would be resolved with trial by combat." Nyssa said as Tommy paled.

Then, his phone rang. "Damn it, I gotta roll. Anyway, I'll see you later, good place."

"See you." Oliver said before turning to Nyssa. "What do you think?"

Nyssa sighed. "Are you certain about opening a nightclub in the city slums?"

"It would be a good cover." Oliver said. "Besides, Tommy and Sara could help me run it."

Nyssa cleared her throat. "I've heard that the Glades are the pure manifestation of this city's scum."

"It can be better than that." Oliver pointed out.

"Someone has tried already and yet, she paid dearly for it, if I recall." Nyssa said.

* * *

**_Later, Nyssa's penthouse_ **

"I've examined the bullet that was in your shoulder. It was laced with curare." Nyssa explained as she left the fragment on the tray.

Oliver went to the computer. "7.62-milimeter rounds. The money trail leads back to the Bratva. The Russian mob. Finally, some good luck. I think it would be best if you stayed here. The last thing Bratva needs is seeing you of all people after what happened."

Nyssa stared in consideration before nodding. "I suppose my reputation would have reached out to your friend's comrades here."

* * *

**_Auto repair shop, Starling City_ **

" _I'm looking for Alexi Leonov._ " Oliver said in Russian.

" _There is no one here by that name._ " A bald man replied in the same language as he stared at Oliver, who shook his head.

" _Not in your garage; in the basement underneath._ "

A man then went from underneath a car, pointing a gun at Oliver, who disarmed him without breaking a sweat as he put down the collar of his shirt, revealing a tattoo on his chest. "I'm Bratva." The man Oliver had subdued got up on his feet as he went behind the bald man. "I'm looking for Alexi Leonov." Oliver asked again.

"Pleased to meet you." The bald man approached Oliver as he bowed and spoke in English as Oliver nodded. "I apologize; we mean no disrespect to a captain; particularly an American one." He approached the desk as he poured two glasses of vodka. "So, how can I be of assistance."

"I'm in the market for a hired gun. Someone the organization's used before. His calling card is a 7.62 millimeter gun laced with curare."

"I know no man who uses such tools." Alexi shook his head.

"But you can find out who does."

Alexi handed Oliver his glass. "First, we will drink to each other's health, then I will look into the identity of the man you seek." He drank his glass before speaking up again. "I will also confirm that you are really a Bratva captain. Should this not be the case, I will send my mechanic here to find you and kill you and your family."

* * *

**_Later, Club Poison_ **

"Oh, my, this is gonna be killer." Tommy said, excited.

"If Max never sees me here, I agree." Oliver noted as Tommy patted him on the shoulder.

"I think a man of his… position would put aside such petty grudges." Nyssa pointed out.

"Then you have yet to get to know the Starling's elite better." Oliver quipped.

Tommy, Sara, Oliver and Nyssa entered the club, followed by Diggle as the bouncer let them in.

"Oliver, I must say, when you were telling me about the amazing features of Western society, I wasn't expecting something so… flamboyant." Nyssa said as she was looking around.

"I thought that a woman like you has been in a lot of parties, given your… work." Tommy pointed out.

"It was more on… a different social level." Nyssa said carefully as Oliver and Tommy nodded.

"I see…"

Then, they noticed Sara and Laurel mingling with the guests as they neared them. "Oh, wow!" Tommy exclaimed. "Doesn't you going out and having fun violate some kind of law, you know, like the ones that are carved on a stone tablet?"

"That's cute, Tommy." Laurel said.

"Thanks."

"Who's your friend?" Laurel asked.

Tommy and Oliver then turned to Nyssa, introducing her to Laurel. "Laurel, this is Nyssa Raatko. She's from Europe. One of the investors for our club. Nyssa, our friend Laurel Lance."

"Pleased to meet you." Nyssa smiled. "Oliver talks a lot about you."

Then, the conversation was interrupted by a very drunk Thea, who stumbled up to Oliver. "Big brother! Oh, I am so wasted right now. There is… there is two of you…"

"I thought you were grounded." Oliver said calmly.

"I am. And thank you for that, by the way." Thea sneered, crossing her arms.

"You're done for the night." Oliver took a step closer with a glare towards Thea.

"Oh, what are you going to do? Tell Mom?" Thea challenged. "You're not my father and you're barely my brother!"

And out of the sudden, Nyssa grabbed her by her arm and dragged her outside. "Alright, I think we should take this conversation outside."

"Get off me!" Thea yelled. "Who do you think you…"

"That's enough of this." Nyssa said calmly, yet with a significant hint of venom in her tone.

"Excuse me?" Thea laughed.

"Now you're going to stop acting like an ungrateful brat and listen."

"Why should I?" Thea sneered.

"Because the world doesn't revolve around you and the sooner you realize that…" But Thea was raising her hand and about to smack Nyssa hard but in that instant, Nyssa grabbed her wrist with an iron grip, pinning her hand to the wall. "I would strongly advise against that."

"Let me go!" Thea snarled, whimpering slightly.

"Now you listen." Nyssa said in a cold tone, with a death glare towards Thea, who shut up, realizing it would be unwise to test her further. "I understand that the last five years cannot have been easy for you. Losing your family is the worst pain you can imagine. And I understand that you were grieving and dealing with the pain over the loss in your own way. But what you are doing is reckless, pointless and nothing good can come out of it. Trust me on that. Oliver has told me how much he has missed you but you're nothing like what he told me about you.

Where I come from, such disrespect and ungratefulness towards your family would have  _very unpleasant_ consequences for you. You brother has been through things you cannot even imagine and he had had to fight and claw every single day, just to stay alive before coming home. And your attitude does not make it any easy on him. So, if I were you, I'd clean up my act and reconsider my behavior. You don't want to know how do we deal with the likes of you, where I come from." She finished with a look that made Thea take Nyssa seriously, it was obvious she wasn't messing around.

Oliver and Nyssa went back inside, leaving Thea alone with her own thoughts.

"That was harsh." Oliver pointed out.

"I said what needed to be said." Nyssa said and Oliver couldn't argue with that.

Sara noticed Nyssa and Oliver approaching her, Tommy and Laurel. "Where's…"

"She's not coming back here." Oliver said. But, then…

"Well, well, look at this." Max Fuller said from behind the group. "Oliver Queen. And with a girlfriend."

"Max Fuller." Oliver turned to him and the two bodyguards. "How have you been?"

"Happy you drowned." Max sneered and Oliver had to grab Nyssa as she was shooting him a death glare as she was getting a hold of herself.

"Don't. I'll handle it."

Oliver was dragged to the backstage behind the curtains by Max and his bodyguards. "Hey, Max…"

Max punched Oliver in the face, knocking him on the ground. "Get him up."

The bouncers roughly pulled Oliver on his feet as Tommy burst in, stepping up in between them. "Hey, let him go! I said, let him go!"

"Told you he was going to be pissed." Oliver muttered.

"Back off, Merlyn. This isn't your problem." Max said.

"You want to get him, you've got to go through me." Tommy said as the men were grinning. "Wow, they are probably going to go through me."

And on impulse, Tommy slugged one of the bouncers, as Oliver was fighting another one as Max grinned before Laurel and Nyssa burst in, and Laurel hit Max in the kidney and kicked him in the leg before flipping him hard on the floor, while Nyssa grabbed the wrist of another bouncer as bones cracked and with one fluid motion, she knocked him on the ground.

"So, this is over, Max? Or are you going to have your boys pound on us next?" Laurel asked.

Max staggered on his feet, glaring at all of them. "You four consider yourselves banned for life. Get the hell out of my place!"

"Your club sucks anyway!" Tommy yelled.

"Are you alright?" Nyssa asked as she neared Oliver, who nodded.

"Nice moves." Laurel smiled at Nyssa.

"I've had to handle rougher people than them. You're not what you seem either." Nyssa smiled.

"Cop dad, he made me take self-defense classes." Laurel said as Tommy rubbed his nose.

"I think you should let someone check on that." Nyssa suggested.

* * *

**_Four months ago, Russia_ **

_"What's going on?" Oliver demanded as Anatoly stopped._

_In front of them were a couple of people yelling at each other, with the cars wrecked. "It looks like a car accident…" Anatoly stopped himself as he looked closely at the men. "Wait, something isn't…" Then he shifted the gear to reverse and hit the gas. "Blyad'." He swore as Mia slammed her back to her seat._

_"Anatoly, what the…"_

_"They're the cops from the airport! The same ones, who interrogated you!"_

_"Must be working for the Basilisk!" Oliver realized as the men started to shoot at the car, causing for the window to shatter._

_The two cars of the thugs were chasing Oliver, Anatoly, Diggle and Mia as Anatoly kept driving down the road before driving down the stairs as Mia yelped. But as Anatoly was about to take a turn, his car skidded, causing for it to hit the lamp as the airbag burst out from the wheel, knocking Anatoly out as Diggle hit his head on the window._

_Oliver groaned as he turned to the young girl. "You OK?"_

_Mia nodded frantically, with blood on her forehead before she widened her eyes in horror as Oliver turned to the window, with the men nearing the car with guns trained._

_"Hand over the girl, now!" They demanded in Russian._

_Oliver held his hip as it was bleeding, he was in no condition to fight. Oliver was slowly going out with his hands raised, planning to take the men out as they were nearing him, only for them to be shot down by black arrows as Nyssa jumped down from above. "You seem to attract trouble like honey bees, Mr. Queen."_

* * *

**_Present, District Attorney's Office_ **

"What was the cause of death again?" Adrian asked as they gave him the file.

"Poisoning. Curare. Deadly." One of the officials said.

"Poisoned bullets?" Adrian asked. "That's not a usual M.O. Has that happened before?"

"I can take a look." The woman said before Adrian shook his head.

"Never mind, I'll look into it myself." He was looking at the file before looking at the photo on the desk of himself, a woman around his age and a little boy and girl.

* * *

**_Later, Big Belly Burger_ **

"I must say, your culture never ceases to amaze me." Nyssa said as she was tasting the burger, while Diggle was talking to his sister-in-law, Carly.

"I knew I liked her for a reason." Tommy chuckled. "Just out of curiosity, are you two… a thing, like…"

"Are we in a relationship?" Nyssa asked as Tommy nodded. "Well, all I can say for certain that a lot has happened between us and neither of us has an intention of keeping a distance from each other for long. But…"

"We haven't labeled what we have yet." Oliver finished as Tommy nodded.

"Still, the less I know, the better." Tommy pointed out.

"That's what I keep telling you." Oliver chuckled before his phone rang. "Hello? Yes." Then he put the phone down. "Could you leave us in private, please?"

Tommy nodded as he got up. "Whatever it is you have going on, all I can say is ' _good luck_ '."

As Tommy left, Oliver put the phone to his ear. "So I checked out?"

" _You did._ " Alexi said. " _His name is Floyd Lawton. I have address, where he stayed last time he was in Starling City. But that is all._ "

"Let's hope he's a creature of habit." Oliver said. "Go."

" _1700 Broadway Pell Hotel. Room 52. You'll leave us out of this, yes? Assuming Mr. Lawton doesn't kill you first._ " Alexi finished as Oliver hung up.

* * *

**_Pell Motel_ **

"This feels like old times." Nyssa said as she had a black hood on, while following Oliver in his green hood.

Nyssa was outside, looking at the windows, observing.

As he was outside Lawton's room, the Hood kicked the door open, firing an arrow but Lawton managed to take cover behind his bed and used his wrist gun to fire but the Hood took cover before Lawton reloaded, prompting the Hood to fire two more arrows but Lawton used the bed as shield before firing again and running through the window. But as he was running down the alley, suddenly, he was hanging upside down as Nyssa smirked at her caught victim from the rooftop, with his leg ensnared in rope. But as she was about to finish him off as she notched an arrow, she heard sirens, causing for her to grunt in frustration as she left the scene with the Hood.

* * *

**_Later, the Lair_ **

"Lawton was arrested by the SCPD." Sara said. "And they found on his laptop that he was targeting Walter and other buyers interested in Unidac Industries and was hired by Warren Patel. And Adrian is currently building a case to prosecute him."

"Another name on the list." Oliver said as Nyssa was looking over the names on the notebook, while crossing off Patel's name.

"What I wonder is how did your father come into possession of a notebook, written with ghost ink. It's an ancient technique and very few people aside from us use that." Nyssa said.

"We'll find out." Oliver promised.

* * *

**_Four months ago, Russia_ **

_The group went into one of Bratva's safe houses as they nursed everyone to health before Oliver prompted Nyssa to follow him to the corner. "Why did you follow me?"_

_"I gathered they would be after you, Mr. Queen. I was hoping to use them to take me to the Basilisk's leader." Nyssa said._

_"Who is it?" Oliver asked as Nyssa sighed._

_"There isn't just one leader but the one I am after, he is very dangerous." Nyssa pointed out._

_"They almost killed my friend." Oliver argued. "This is as much my fight as yours. Who knows how many of them are out there and you cannot honestly believe you can take them all on on your own."_

_"And anyone who messes with my client's daughter, he's getting himself into a lot of trouble." Diggle said as Oliver turned to him._

_"Do you know, why would they want to take Mia?" Oliver asked._

_Diggle sighed. "Her father is John King. One of the richest men in the United States. Ransom maybe?"_

_"Did you say 'John King'?" Nyssa repeated._

_"You know him?" Oliver asked as Nyssa smirked._

_"I think neither of you have an idea, who he really is."_

* * *

_"Sir, we have a problem." A thug said to a man at the desk, who had dragon tattoo on his shoulder. "The girl… she was… rescued. By Bratva apparently."_

_"We will take care of them. Don't worry." The man said. "Bring me Miss Nguyen." And a few moments later, a Vietnamese woman in green dress, with sheathed two sais entered. "Jade, I have a new prey for you to hunt. Triple your usual fee, if you succeed."_

_"Yes, Mr. Diaz." Jade nodded._

* * *

**_Present, elsewhere in Starling City_ **

Adrian Chase entered the living room, where was on the desk a photo of himself, a young woman besides him and a boy and a girl before drinking scotch and above the fireplace was a news article of a shootout, in which was the photo of Adrian and the same woman and children in the photo before heading to the closet, where was a body armor, a pistol and a helmet with goggles…

* * *

_**Starling City Airport** _

A Vietnamese woman in green dress was at the terminal as the customs officer was handing her the passport. "Business or personal?"

"Sort of both." The woman said.

"Welcome to Starling City… Miss Nguyen."

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I know you were disappointed that Nyssa wasn't much involved here but I was waiting for the right opportunity as to how to explain her presence in Starling City without it being too suspicous. I'll try to make her involvment as active as I can, if it fits the situation.
> 
> So, what do you guys think about it?
> 
> Please review and let me know if you are enjoying this so far.


	6. Crossfire

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Oliver and Nyssa need to deal with an old enemy, as well as new player in town that might complicate their quest and the facedown has a surprising outcome for Oliver.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Disclaimer: I do not own DC Comics or the CW TV shows Arrow, The Flash, Legends of Tomorrow or any other characters or elements pertaining to the mentioned franchises.

**_The Glades_ **

"This place smells like crap." A man in with an Italian accent said in a rundown bar.

"I think it's best to keep a low profile for now." Another man with normal accent said. "It's good that our contacts were able to bail you out."

"Yeah, it's good that the Vietnamese chick scared the crap out of them. How did you get her, anyway?"

"Recommended by Chien Na Wei herself."

"So, to the system. And to justice."

Then, they noticed a man with goggles and a mask upstairs in the upper level of the bar. "Can we help you?"

"What do you want?"

"Justice." The masked man said as he dropped a grenade on the floor and everyone took cover as they heard a sizzling sound and the lower floor was covered in smoke as most of the men in the bar drew out their guns, firing as the masked man took cover before pulling out an assault rifle and starting to shoot back with precise shots, shooting the thugs down but taking care in not taking lethal shots as they were either kneecapped or hit in their arms in the way they couldn't hold their guns before one of the thugs started to run towards a bridge as he saw railroad beneath. The thug turned around and faced a man wearing a mask with goggles as the thug paled. "You escaped on technicality. Though you should have been convicted and sentenced for life."

"I was acquitted." The thug protested.

"By the jury. Not by me." The masked man said.

"Who made you judge?" The thug demanded.

"You did." The masked man said. "The second you should have been found guilty for murder but weren't." He kicked the thug off the bridge on the railroad as the thug screamed before hitting the ground hard as he landed on the tracks as they heard train horn. "You see the light at the end of the tunnel? I'll tell you right now that it's not Heaven."

"I'm gonna kill you!" The thug shouted before turning to the light of the train.

"That's the train to Bludhaven about to go right through you!"

"Oh, God, oh, God, no!"

* * *

"Sliced in half by a train." Quentin quipped. "Not the Hood's style."

"No." Kelton said as he showed the surveillance footage on tablet. "Bruno Mennheim. Prosecuted for alleged raping of Wendy Poole."

Hilton looked at his notepad. "In the court, he wasn't convicted and spun it around like it was with consent. Miss Poole's attorney was furious after it happened."

"What did you say her name was again?" Quentin asked, the name sounding familiar.

"Wendy Poole." Hilton said.

"Wendy…" Quentin whispered before remembering. "I remember now, Laurel mentioned her, the poor girl reached out to CNRI and she was assigned to her friend, Adrian. She told me he was pissed as hell."

"Well, I think Mr. Chase can sleep peacefully now." Hilton muttered.

* * *

**_Later, elsewhere in Starling City_ **

"We have a problem with a new player in town, Miss Nguyen. A man in green hood, who uses bow and arrow as preference." A man at the desk said. "Just so you know to be on your guard, when doing the job we had hired you for. We'd like you to oversee the production of the new batch of heroin we're spreading and make sure…"

"Nothing sets you back." Jade nodded. "I will. And do not worry about the archer. I've had my experience with the likes of him."

* * *

**_Four months ago, Russia_ **

_"John King is one of the richest men in the entire United States, right after Bruce Wayne and Lex Luthor." Diggle said. "A legitimate businessman, I checked."_

_"Or it would appear." Nyssa snorted. "He may look legitimate by first looks and he has sincere actions but he has dangerous connections, Mr. Diggle. From my contacts, I have heard he had been funding a lot of sinister men. Yet, recently, he seems to have gotten on the wrong side of some of them."_

_"The Basilisk." Oliver realized as Nyssa nodded._

_"Perhaps they will try to use his daughter as leverage." She pointed out._

_"We'll be safe here for now." Anatoly assured them before his phone rang and he picked it up. "Da?" Then he swore in Russian. "How is this possible? Who did this?" He swore again as he received a photo on the phone before he hung up._

_"That doesn't sound good." Diggle said as he noticed Anatoly's angered look._

_"What's going on?" Oliver asked._

_"Oliver, someone just killed five of our men in one of our businesses here in town." Anatoly said as he showed Oliver and Diggle the photo of a Vietnamese woman in green dress and steel claws, wearing a Cheshire cat mask. "From what I've been hearing, I think the Basilisk has sent someone very dangerous after us. Her name is Jade Nguyen. Cheshire. A mercenary, who uses poisonous claws."_

_"Jade Nguyen?" Nyssa raised her brows. "I've heard of her. Are you up to the challenge, Mr. Queen?"_

* * *

**_Present, Starling City_ **

Adrian was in his house, drinking scotch as he saw the news bulletin about Bruno Mennheim being sliced in half by train before turning to the photo of himself and a woman around his age and two children and then, adjusting his tie before going to work and closing the closet, in which was a mask with goggles and a rifle.

* * *

**_The Lair_ **

"Who was that guy?" Diggle asked as they were watching the news of a masked man with goggles chasing down a man and kicking him off the bridge down on rail tracks.

"Bruno Mennheim." Oliver pulled out a profile.

"Yeah, Laurel talked about him at the dinner last night." Sara said. "Said that her friend Adrian was pissed as hell that he walked away on technicality."

"But, someone else decided to make sure he didn't walk away." Oliver said. "Maybe someone with an axe to grind."

"Look, Ollie, we don't have much to look at." Sara said.

"Just keep an eye out." Oliver ordered. "In case he shows up again. And you should be at work soon." He looked at the watch as Sara gasped.

* * *

**_Starling General_ **

Sara, with a backpack rushed in as she panted out at the reception. "I'm sorry, it's my first day here. Doctor Sara Lance."

* * *

A few hours later, the ER room was filling with people, who were all having serious medical problems, such as seizures, swollen eyes, struggling with breathing.

"What's going on?" Sara asked.

* * *

**_Later, the Foundry_ **

Sara entered the foundry with a blood sample she had picked up from one of the patients as she looked under the microscope. "What the…"

* * *

_**Four months ago, Russia** _

_Anatoly, Diggle, Nyssa and Oliver entered one of Bratva's nightclubs, which was empty during the day as one of the Bratva's men approached them. "Anatoly, my brother, what's going on?"_

_"You need to leave now, comrade. Our lives are at stake. You have to…" Before Anatoly could finish his sentence, he started to gag and collapse on the floor._

_"Anatoly?" Oliver asked as Anatoly's eyes were going red as he trembled and started to say something in Russian and he looked frightened, as if he was looking into the eyes of Death itself. Oliver then noticed the dart in Anatoly's neck before he turned to the balcony and saw a woman in green dress, with a Cheshire cat mask as he and Nyssa notched their arrows and Diggle pulled out his gun._

* * *

**_Present, the Foundry_ **

Oliver and Tommy were overseeing the construction of the club as Sara rushed upstairs. "Ollie, you gotta see this."

* * *

Sara showed the sample on the computer as Oliver followed her to the basement. "Fever, hallucinating and causing seizures in critical dosages. I've never seen a drug like this before."

"I have." Oliver said, remembering as his blood boiled. "And I think I know who did it."

"What are you going to do?" Sara asked.

* * *

**_Later, elsewhere in Starling City_ **

The Hood was chasing down a gangster as he was running down an alley before his leg was ensnared in a rope as he was being pulled up, facing Nyssa in black hood. "The new drug in the Glades. Who's spreading it?"

"Look, I don't know anything, I swear to God!" The man wailed.

"Swear to us!" The Hood glared as the man was plummeting to the ground, screaming before he froze in air, his face a few inches from the pavement before being pulled up as Nyssa was about to drop him again.

"OK, wait, wait, wait, listen, I don't know where did they get it! All I've heard is that they have someone very dangerous overseeing the manufacturing it! Some Asian woman in green wearing some kind of a cat mask and steel claws! They say she's got a reputation of a world-class assassin, that's all I know! I swear!" Nyssa snorted as she was letting go of the rope. "No, no, no, please, I told you everything I know, please, no…" The man screamed, falling down but he landed on dumpster on bags full of trash as Nyssa and the Hood walked away. "You're crazy! You're both freaking crazy!"

* * *

The Hood, Nyssa and Diggle entered a ruined building as there was chemical equipment and people with doctor masks, gowns and plastic gloves as the Hood fired an incendiary arrow, burning the equipment.

"Well, well, well, look who the cat drags down. Long time, no see, Oliver." They all turned around to see a Vietnamese woman in green dress on the upper balcony.

"This ends here and now, Jade!" The Hood snarled as he notched an arrow. "You're going down, once and for all!"

"Back in Russia you got lucky." Jade sneered. "I'm afraid your luck might have run out this time." She pulled out her claws and jumped down from above, attacking as the Hood, Nyssa and Diggle fired…

* * *

_**Four months ago, Russia** _

_Jade dodged their shots and kicked Diggle in the stomach as he fell down before she swished her claws and Nyssa blocked with her sword and Jade kicked Oliver back as he was about to swing his bow before Jade spun around, knocking Nyssa on the ground but she kicked Jade in the stomach…_

* * *

**_Present_ **

Jade stumbled but she dodged the Hood's attack as she stabbed him in his hip as he groaned but he hit her in the face with his elbow and grabbed her, throwing her away from him as she slid down the floor. As Nyssa lunged and was about to stab Jade…

* * *

_**Four months ago, Russia** _

_Jade rolled back, grabbing a chair and using it to block Nyssa's attack and disarm her of her weapon. Jade headbutted Nyssa, dazing her and throwing her over the counter before Diggle slammed Jade's head on the bar but she punched him in the gut and gouged his eyes and grabbed his wrist as Diggle groaned…_

* * *

**_Present_ **

The Hood pushed Jade away from Diggle before gunshots rang out and glass shattered, the equipment being blown to bits as they all took cover from the gunfire as outside was the masked man shooting the meth lab to bits.

"You got lucky again, Oliver! But this isn't finished!" Jade snarled as she ran away but a few bullets managed to hit her in the hip as she hissed.

* * *

The masked vigilante unloaded his rifle on the building as he sighed before walking away. But then, a few rooftops away, he faced the Hood as they traded blows and the Hood threw away Vigilante's rifle before lunging at him and knocking him on the ground as the Hood got up on his feet but stopped himself upon seeing that Vigilante had in his hand a pistol. "Bang." The next thing the Hood knew was feeling some sharp pain in his shoulder as he fell off the rooftop and everything went black.

* * *

**_Four months ago, Russia_ **

_Jade slashed Nyssa across her stomach as she hissed but then, she collapsed on the floor, trembling before Diggle grabbed Jade from behind and threw her through the window before he and Oliver heard 'splash' as they looked down to see that Jade fell into the river._

_"Well, I don't think we need to worry about her anymore." Oliver said before they turned to Nyssa, who was letting out shaking breaths._

_"Poison… poisoned claws…"_

_"We need to get her help and Anatoly, now." Oliver said._

* * *

_Later, in a safe house, Oliver bandaged Nyssa's wound as she drank the mixed antidote. "Anatoly felt much better after this."_

_Nyssa smiled. "I appreciate your help, Mr. Queen but I'm more resilient than you think. I did not need your assistance."_

_"I've noticed." Oliver said. "You're strong and fierce as only a few women I have met." He smiled._

_"Is everything alright, Mr. Queen?" Nyssa asked._

_"Oliver." He said. "Please, just call me 'Oliver'. Mr. Queen was my father… and I don't want to be like him. I need to be better than him."_

_"You want to rectify your father's sins." Nyssa said. "I know that the sins of a father can be a heavy burden."_

_"Such as you being daughter of the most dangerous man on the planet?" Oliver asked._

_"I've learned to live with it a long time ago. I'm not looking for redemption, Mr. Queen… Oliver." She corrected herself._

_"But you don't have to let your past and your blood define you either." Oliver pointed out. "I know I'm trying not to let it define me."_

_"But it's not easy, is it?" Nyssa asked as she noticed Oliver's look._

_"No, it's not." Oliver said as she held his hand, assuring him. They stared at each other for a moment before their feelings started to burn up and they slowly neared each other and kissed passionately as Nyssa took off Oliver's shirt as they laid down on bed…_

* * *

**_Present, the Glades_ **

A young boy in red hoodie helped a Vietnamese woman wire a car as she smiled at him. "Thanks. I needed a ride out of town quickly."

"Your welcome." The boy smiled.

"What's your name?" The woman asked.

"Roy." He said. "Roy Harper."

"Jade." She smiled. "I'll never forget this, Roy Harper. You might have saved my life." She hit the gas as Roy waved his hand.

"Interesting woman." He told himself. As he went down the alley, he noticed in a dumpster something as he looked closely to see… "Holy crap."

Roy stared in shock to see unconscious Oliver Queen in green hood and a bullet hole in his shoulder, with a quiver as he then saw on the ground a recurve bow.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> So, what do you guys think about it?
> 
> Please review and let me know if you are enjoying this so far.


	7. Royal Flush Gang

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Oliver decides to branch out and try to find a different way to save his city. Also, Adrian's past is revealed and in flashbacks, Oliver and Nyssa start to bond over the darkness and the tragedies they have both endured, while trying to protect their new friends.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Disclaimer: I do not own DC Comics or the CW TV shows Arrow, The Flash, Legends of Tomorrow or any other characters or elements pertaining to the mentioned franchises.

_**Four months ago, Russia** _

_Oliver and Nyssa were naked in bed, Nyssa sleeping peacefully next to him as he combed her hair with his fingers before he ran them gently down her back before he turned to the nightstand and reached for the worn photo of Laurel, looking at it, considering… All he ever wanted to come back to her… but was there anything waiting for him? Could she forgive him for cheating on her with her sister?_

_Then, he turned to Nyssa again… she had been down much darker road than he was… and could Oliver afford to let that darkness drag Laurel, Thea and everyone else into his orbit? On the other hand, she's the daughter of the most dangerous man that has ever lived… this relationship could not end well…_

_Then, Nyssa turned around, slowly opening her eyes. "Is there something bothering you, Oliver?"_

_Oliver sighed. "I… what we did tonight… I'm just wondering, what did this mean?"_

_Nyssa got up, gently touching Oliver's scars on his chest. "You mean, was this just for distraction tonight, or is this just beginning of something more?" The look on Oliver's face answered her question. "Tell me honestly, what do you want from this?"_

_Oliver sighed. "There was a woman I wanted to come back to, back in Starling. But after what's been going on recently… what I've been through… what I've seen… what I've done… there's something dark in me. And… she's better off without me bringing that darkness upon her. It almost got her sister killed."_

_"You're talking about Laurel and Sara Lance. The sisters." Nyssa realized as Oliver nodded. "We all have our demons, Oliver. And they'll always find their way to try to consume those we care about and one way or another, they'll consume those around us into our orbit." Oliver turned to her. "I had someone… a lifetime ago. Someone I loved. He was an assassin, like me. We both served my father. But… he died."_

_"What happened?" Oliver asked as he noticed the tears in her eyes._

_Nyssa sighed. "Thirty years ago. I was on mission with Fadir. We called him "Sabu". The predator. He enjoyed hunting his targets. He… wasn't like most of us."_

_"What do you mean?"_

_"Fadir used to be a mercenary. Tired with the work. Tired of being a servant of those, who offered the most. He had no one and felt like he had nothing worth living for. When father conscripted him, he was… disillusioned by his work." Nyssa looked at the wall, as if she was reliving it as Oliver patiently listened. "He offered to give his life a new purpose. And… he helped the League rid the world of people, who would have brought darkness pain and misery to innocent people. Kill a few to save the many. One day…" Nyssa took a breath. "We sought an ancient relic at his birthplace. Something that could balance the forces of Earth, according to the local myths. When Fadir touched that relic… the whole place crumbled. I was there. We ran out from the cavern and barely escaped with our lives. The cliffs there shifted and an earthquake followed. An entire city fell apart in front of my eyes. I saw homes on fire, citizens trapped in falling buildings, collapsing walls burying mothers with babes in their arms…" She said with tears in her eyes. "Innocent people dead… his people…" She sighed. "In League, all new recruits must renounce their connections to their past lives. Forget about your friends. Forget about your family. Forget about love."_

_Oliver remembered the rule in Bratva. "I have no family. I have no home. I have no name. I am Bratva."_

_"But seeing his home destroyed, caused by himself... Not knowing what forces was he playing with… the guilt of destroying his own home became too much." Nyssa started to sniff. "In the following months, he still tried to forget and move on… but eventually, he told me that he could not take more lives anymore. That with every kill, he was losing a part of who he once was."_

_"What if we are also killing parts of ourselves, when we take lives of others?" He asked me." She said emotionally as Oliver noticed the pain and loss in her eyes. "What if, in the end, there's nothing truly living inside of us anymore? What if we eventually lose ourselves in the darkness?"_

_"That day I understood that some people are strong enough to endure the darkness for only so long…" Nyssa said. "And then…"_

_"He killed himself." Oliver realized. "He would rather be dead than live the rest of his life as a killer. He couldn't bear the guilt of being responsible for the fall of his home."_

_Nyssa nodded. "I've never known anything outside the League before I met him. I understood what was it like to love… to truly care for others… I don't know how to be anything else than my father's heir. I was too afraid to be anything else than that. Seeking anything more than that… the cost would be too high."_

_"Maybe you don't have to do this alone." Oliver pleaded, holding her hand. "I know what it's like to be afraid that the darkness inside you consumes you and those you love. Talia taught me that I can channel the darkness."_

_"With that hood?" Nyssa asked as she scoffed. "Sounds like her. She believes you need some anchor."_

_"You don't believe that?" Oliver asked._

_"I don't believe that it is that simple." Nyssa pointed out. "The darkness is always a part of us."_

_"But there's always a light inside us too. Yin and yang. Two opposite forces." Oliver said as Nyssa turned to him, raising her brows. "Another… friend of mine… I loved… someone I lost… she told me that these two things live within us. Maybe we're both on our way to find the light inside us."_

_Nyssa stared at him in consideration. "Perhaps." Neither of them realized that but they were holding each other's hand and they were slowly nearing each other, about to kiss, when…_

_"Sorry, I…" Diggle opened the door and cleared his throat upon realizing that he was intruding. "If this is a bad time, I can come back later…"_

_"No, it's alright." Oliver said. "Is everything alright, Diggle?"_

_"I called Mia's father." Diggle said._

_"Did you tell him about the Basilisk?" Nyssa demanded._

_"No." Diggle said. "All he knows is that someone tried to kidnap Mia and that we're in a safehouse right now. He said he'll come here and reach out soon. And your friend Anatoly said that your Ruskie pals have found a high-level player of Basilisk here."_

_"Then, he might give us some answers." Oliver and Nyssa got up from the bed, dressing up as Diggle closed the door, giving them privacy._

* * *

**_Present, the Glades_ **

Oliver gasped as he got up, his shoulder stitched up as he looked around. It was a rundown room and as he looked outside the window, he realized he was in the Glades before next to him appeared Diggle, Sara and Nyssa.

"Where… what…"

"Easy, Oliver, you were shot." Diggle held him down.

"You're lucky I was around." Roy said. "I found you and brought you here, then your buddies found me with this in your boot." He pulled out a small red blinking device. "They patched you up."

"If it hadn't been for him, you would probably be dead by now." Nyssa said.

"Where… where's the other guy?" Oliver asked. "The other vigilante?"

"Gone." Diggle said. "He bolted before we could catch up with him. And so did Jade." Oliver growled as the name got Roy's attention.

" _Who_?" Roy hoped they were not talking about…

"Jade Nguyen. She's an assassin of Vietnamese origins. She's the one we had been after." Nyssa explained.

"Asian? Long dark hair? Green dress?" Roy asked.

"You saw her?" Oliver demanded as Roy paled.

"Yeah." Roy said quickly. "I saw someone carjacking, who looked exactly like her. I didn't pay that much attention because thought she was just another poor kid trying to score a car. I mean, it's the Glades, man." He had hoped deep down that this was not going to bite him in the ass later.

Oliver sighed. "She's probably long gone by now."

"I'm sorry, I didn't know." Roy begged, raising his hands as Nyssa was reaching for her sword.

Oliver sighed. "What about Mom and Thea?"

"They don't know. Don't worry." Sara said as Oliver sighed in relief.

"About you, then…" Nyssa was slowly pulling out her sword.

"Hey, I won't tell anyone about this, I swear on my Mom." Roy begged with his hands up.

"Oh, I'll make sure you…"

"Nyssa, wait." Oliver stepped up as he got up. "This isn't necessary." He turned to Roy. "You saved my life and I'm grateful. But you do understand I can't afford to let the cops go after me."

"I know." Roy nodded. "I've read about what you've been doing. Most of these guys deserved it. The Glades are a mess because of them. I just want to see the place become better. I won't tell anyone, I promise."

Oliver sighed. "You look like a good kid…" He paused.

"Roy." Roy said. "My name's Roy Harper. You're the ones, who burned down the meth lab, right?"

Oliver nodded.  _It wasn't exactly them but they could take care of Vigilante later._

"Look, guys, I don't know if you know but you did a lot of people around here a favor by burning down that lab." Roy said. "And I mean, I know a lot of people here, who might have it coming, so if you need someone to teach a lesson... I'm just wondering, how can I help?"

Oliver turned to Roy as he got up. "You saved me. Maybe you can do more than that. You said you want to make the Glades a better place?" Roy nodded as Oliver went to a notepad and picked up a pen. "If you see or hear of anything the cops can't handle, call Mr. Diggle. We'll look into it."

Roy nodded. "Thanks. Really."

"And to be clear, if you tell anyone about who we are, I will scatter your pieces all over Starling City." Nyssa glared at Roy, who paled and gulped.

* * *

**_Later, Queen Manor_ **

Oliver and Nyssa entered the manor as they noticed Thea at stairwell, who tensed upon seeing Nyssa and nervously walked down as Nyssa smiled. "Don't be afraid, I don't bite."

Thea slightly relaxed, approaching them. "Look… I… I wanted to apologize for the other night. I've been thinking about what you said and… you're right." She turned to Oliver sheepishly. "Ollie, I… I'm sorry I've been a bitch to you since you returned and that I might have been making things hard on you. When she… told me about what you've been through, I remembered seeing your scars and I realized that I was so much wrapped up in my own grief, I didn't give your feelings too much consideration."

"It's OK. Really." Oliver assured her.

"No. It really isn't." Thea admitted. "Look, Ollie, I… I can't even imagine what you must have been through. And… now I know that what happened to us here was nothing compared to you and… I realized I was pushing you away as much as you were pushing me because I had no idea…" She was on verge of tears. "I just wish I knew what to do to get my brother back. Because…" Thea sniffed. "I don't want to be without you anymore."

Oliver hugged her, smiling. "We'll figure it out, Speedy. I know we have a long way to go but we'll figure it out."

Nyssa smiled, hoping that the reconciliation between her and her sister had been that easy months ago.

* * *

_**Four months ago, Russia** _

_"Are you alright?" Anatoly asked as he looked at Nyssa, while they sat down at the desk with Oliver, Diggle and Mia._

_"I'm more resilient than most people, Mr. Knyazev." Nyssa assured him._

_"OK." Diggle sighed. "Look, we need to reach out to Mr. King, maybe he can get me and Mia out of Russia to safety."_

_"I would strongly advise against that." Nyssa said. "John King is dangerous and he does not like loose ends. He will probably get rid of you and make sure…"_

_"He would not kill his own daughter." Diggle protested._

_"There are other ways to shut people up." Nyssa said as Mia paled._

_"Dad's definitely sometimes a little off." Mia said. "And lately he's been creeping me out."_

_"We need to find out who hired Cheshire." Oliver growled._

_"The Basilisk most likely." Nyssa said._

_"I meant, who specifically." Oliver said._

_Nyssa sighed. "The man leading Basilisk here is Ricardo Diaz. A man without honor. A warrior, a fighter. I had heard of him. He's… a manifestation of darkness."_

* * *

**_Present, elsewhere in Starling City_ **

Diggle went up on the roof, looking for the place, where the Hood was fighting with Vigilante as he found a slug on the rooftop…

* * *

"To who do you sell 5.56-milimeter hollow points?! Tell me!" The Hood demanded as he pinned the vendor to the wall.

"I don't know, I swear!" The vendor begged. "Every week he sends an order with drop points all over the town, so he can pick up for the ammo! I never know where am I supposed to leave it until he sends me the address, where I pick the cash and leave the ammo! I don't know how to find this guy, please…"

The Hood grunted as he let the vendor go and left the shop.

* * *

**_Later, Starling General_ **

Sara was at the reception before the EMTs burst in. "What happened?" One of the doctors asked.

"Officer Stan Washington. Multiple gunshot wounds. Starling City Trust bank." The paramedic explained.

Sara tensed, realizing it was the Royal Flush Gang she had read about from the news.

* * *

**_CNRI_ **

"Laurel, is everything alright?" Adrian asked as Laurel looked defeated.

"Not really." She said. "Stagg Industries just pulled the plug on us."

"Are you serious?" Tommy asked as he entered. "Hey. You look like you've had a rough night." He said as he looked at Adrian.

"Mugger tried to attack me." Adrian said. "It… got me shaken up a bit."

"Are you OK?" Laurel asked.

"Don't worry, Laurel." Adrian assured her.

"Look, maybe Ollie and I could throw in a fundraiser for you. Anonymously, of course." Tommy suggested. "I'm sure we can afford a few millions to slip away for… the good of CNRI."

"That's an excellent idea." Adrian praised.

"I can't ask you to…" Laurel stopped herself upon seeing the faces of Adrian and Joanna, her best friend. "Sure. Tommy, we'd be honored for you to throw us a fundraiser." She deadpanned, annoyed at losing her self-respect.

"Come on, it's not that bad." Adrian teased as Tommy laughed.

* * *

**_Later, the Foundry_ **

As Oliver and Nyssa entered, they found Sara and Diggle talking to each other before turning to them. "And it's not the first time, they always hit two to three banks in town."

"And it's been happening for the past three years since Keystone." Diggle nodded.

"Is everything OK?" Oliver asked as Sara turned to him.

"Not really." Sara said. "Today we've admitted in the hospital officer Stan Washington. Dig had him transferred on your behalf. Off-duty cop, who was in Starling City Trust, when it was robbed by Royal Flush gang."

"Street crime?" Nyssa scowled. "Why won't the other policemen in your city do anything about it?"

"Overwhelmed? Underfunded?" Diggle deadpanned.

"Ollie, you haven't been here for a while." Sara sighed. "Dad often complains that they don't have enough resources to catch guys like these. I get you want to honor your Dad but… there are other ways."

"Crime happens in this city every day, Sara." Oliver protested.

"Perhaps Miss Lance has a point." Nyssa said as Oliver turned to her. "When I was younger, a village nearby Nanda Parbat used to be pillaged by passing raiders and local authorities were unable to find them and apprehend them. I used to visit the place, when I wanted to hunt animals for food. And the villagers wanted me to help them find the raiders and stop them. When I hunted them down, their village was flourishing once more. My point is, sometimes you need to fix the symptoms first, so that curing the disease become easier."

Oliver stared at her in consideration before sighing. "Fine, where do we start?" He approached the computer, while reviewing the footage.

"See that guy right there?" Diggle pointed at Ace. "He's got a temper."

"And it's also the same man, that shot Officer Washington. Coward." Nyssa sneered.

"Wait. Zoom." Oliver pointed at Ace's hand as Sara typed the commands on the computer.

"College ring, maybe?" Sara tried.

"Or high school, more likely." Diggle deduced.

"Perhaps we'll be able to use that to find our thieves." Nyssa said.

"Yeah but even with photo enhancement, you're gonna have a problem getting a clear shot of that ring." Diggle pointed out.

"No but it left an impression the police would have photographed." Oliver said. "It'll be in evidence lockup." Oliver went towards the crate as Nyssa smirked.

"Breaking into the base of Starling's finest?" Nyssa raised her brows. "This should not be much of a challenge."

Oliver then turned to Diggle. "Any leads on the Vigilante?"

Diggle shook his head. "I found the guy, who sells the ammo but he doesn't know how to find him either."

"We'll get our chance." Oliver sighed.

* * *

**_SCPD_ **

The Hood and Nyssa snuck into the police station through an unlocked window, stealthily making his way through the hall and evading Detective Hilton before sneaking to the bullpen and plugging in a flash drive, copying SCPD's evidence files and once the job was done, he left as quietly as he entered, the cops none the wiser.

* * *

**_District Attorney's Office_ **

Adrian was at the desk before watching the news about the bank robbers.

"My God, these guys again." He sighed as he pulled out a worn news article about the Royal Flush Gang from Keystone.

"Adrian." District Attorney Spencer asked as she neared his office. "Is everything alright?"

"Not really." Adrian said as he turned off the TV.

"The robbers. They'll find them." Spencer assured him.

"I know, Kate, it's just…" Adrian paused as it hit her.

"The shootout."

"Every morning I wake up and look for my wife and children." Adrian said passionately. "But then I remember that they're gone."

"I know it must be hard but…" Kate looked at him with sympathy.

"I appreciate it, Kate." Adrian said before turning to a family photo of himself, a woman around his age and two children.

* * *

_**Three years ago, Central Park, New York** _

"Daddy, are we gonna ride horses?" A little girl next to Adrian asked as they were having picnic with a woman around Adrian's age and a young boy, a little older than her.

"Maybe later, honey." Adrian said.

"Well, how are we doing?" Another man said, approaching Adrian and the family. "Hey, Doris."

"Jacob." Doris hugged him and kissed him on his cheek. "How are you?"

"I'm fine."

"Uncle Jake!" The boy rushed to Jacob.

"Hey, Adam." Jacob fist-bumped with him. "So, did you get good grades?"

"Did you kill bad guys in Afghanistan?" Adam asked.

"Adam!" Doris scolded her son.

"Adam, you know, you're too young to understand some things."

* * *

Few hours later, Jacob left as Adrian let the children ride on carousel in Central Park before gunshots rang out and panic spread through the crowd like wildfire.

"Dad?" Adam asked as he turned to his parents.

"Adam, we need to get out of here, now!" Doris put her son off the horse as Adrian looked around frantically for his daughter.

"Drew! Drew!"

"Daddy!" Drew exclaimed as Adrian held her in his arms.

"Come here, we need to go, come on." Adrian got her on her feet as they saw some men with guns, apparently lowlifes, shooting at each other. "Doris!"

Adrian couldn't find his wife or son either, so instead, he focused on getting his daughter to safety first as they ran to the car. "Daddy, I'm scared! I want Mom here!"

"Me too, but let's get you to safety first, honey." Adrian rushed to the car with her but suddenly, he felt sharp pain in his back as the bullet penetrated his shoulder and pierced Drew's abdomen as they fell on the ground.

Drew started to tremble as Adrian gasped and desperately tried to hold the wound. "Daddy… it hurts…" She whimpered.

"Drew, just stay awake, please…" Adrian begged as he tried to ignore the pain in his shoulder before noticing someone running. "Hey! Over here! My daughter's been shot!"

The man rushed to Adrian and tried to hold his daughter's wound. "My God…"

"Please… help." Adrian begged.

"The cops and EMTs will be here soon." The man assured Adrian.

"My wife and son." Adrian said. "I need to find them."

"I'll stay with her." The man said as Adrian nodded.

"Thank you." Adrian got up on his feet and looked around, shouting. "Doris! Adam!"

He ignored the pain in his shoulder as he was looking around for his wife and son but…

"No." Adrian neared his son lying on the ground, with a bullet hole in his chest as he just stared blankly into nowhere. "Adam. Adam. Please." Adrian tried to shake him. "Please, stay with me, Adam." He sobbed.

"Adrian…" Doris murmured as she slowly crawled to him, bleeding.

"Doris." Adrian neared her, raising her hand.

"Drew, is she… our baby girl…"

"Just stay awake and don't worry, please." Adrian begged. "I love you, honey."

"I… I love…" Doris sobbed out as she held his cheek. "I love you too… it's so cold…"

"The ambulance is on its way…" Adrian assured her before her hand slowly fell down. "No, no, Doris, please, no!" He lost it as he broke down in tears.

* * *

**_Metro General_ **

"My daughter?" Adrian asked as one of the doctors went out.

"I'm sorry. We did what we could."

"It was apparently a gang war." One of the cops said as Adrian overheard him. "Multiple witnesses confirmed it was members of East Side Dragons, Mexican Cartel and Dogs of Hell."

Adrian slumped on chair, feeling like if he had lost everything before Jacob showed up. "Adrian." Adrian turned to his friend. "All I can say is I'm sorry. If you need anything…"

Adrian hugged him, sobbing.

* * *

**_Present, the Foundry_ **

"The ring matches Larchmont High." Diggle said as he looked at the computer. "I cross-referenced his age and height with alumni. Kyle Reston. Before his senior, he dropped out and his entire family, parents and brother went off-the-grid."

"They put a ringer in." Oliver realized as they reviewed the footage again.

"So, father and sons were the thieves, mother was the scout." Nyssa deduced.

"And I know someone, who might know someone, who went with Kyle to the same school." Sara said, remembering.

* * *

**_The Glades_ **

Sara rang the bell on the apartment before a teenage punk girl opened the door, smiling. "Hey, Sin."

"Hi." Sin smiled. "I'm glad to see you, Sara."

"Me too." Sara said. "How you're doing?"

"It's OK, really." Sin said. "I mean, there has been no creep attacking me for a while now."

Sara smiled. "Look, can I ask you something? What do you know about Kyle Reston? He might have attended the same high school you did."

"Not much." Sin admitted. "Though I remember that the word spread around that his Dad got screwed over by Robert Queen. He used to work at the steel factory here before the old man Queen shut it down. It was…"

"Three years ago." Sara realized.

* * *

**_Three years ago, New York_ **

_"Tell me what happened in Central Park three months ago!" Adrian, in a ski mask demanded as he pinned a gangster to a wall, gun on his head._

_"I don't know anything, I swear!"_

_"Dozens of people, husbands, wives, parents, children, dead! Innocent people!" Adrian snarled. "You're one of the members of Dogs of Hell! They were there!"_

_"Look, it was just a turf war, I wasn't there, I don't know what happened!"_

_"But you know who lead the gangs that day, don't you?"_

_"Look, just walk away from this. Kill me or don't, it doesn't matter, you're getting in over your head."_

_"Some things you can't walk away from." Adrian sneered as he clicked the safety and aimed at his head._

_"No, no, please, no…"_

* * *

_Later, Adrian went towards his car as he noticed a man in black cap and brown coat nearing him. "Who are you?"_

_"Aiden. I saw the… conversation you had with the guy." Aiden said as Adrian reached for his gun. "Easy. I'm not looking for trouble. You're not the only one after the East Side Dragons."_

_"What do you mean?" Adrian demanded._

_"I used to be a cop, you know?" Aiden shrugged. "But then, a few of my friends got killed by these jerks few months back. So, I guess our interests are aligned."_

_"Doubt that." Adrian sneered._

_"You want justice for your family, Mr. Chase?" Aiden asked. "You and I are not dissimilar. We both want the same thing. The D.A.'s office got to a dead end and no one has evidence or leads on people behind this."_

* * *

_"I'll show you how to use that." Aiden showed Adrian a rifle with an attached grenade launcher._

* * *

_**Present, the Lair** _

"My father stole from this city." Oliver snapped as Sara filled him in. "They hurt people in it. And I am hellbent on making that right."

"You don't have to take responsibility for what your father did." Sara protested.

"Some people might disagree with you on that." Nyssa said. "The League believes that the sins of one are sins of many. Mr. Reston did not force his family to help him rob banks and hurt innocents, yet they made their choice. That makes them as much accountable as he is."

Then, the police radar turned on. " _All units, First Bank of Starling has been hit. Seems to be the job of Royal Flush Gang._ "

"Speak of the devil…" Sara muttered.

* * *

**_Service tunnels under First Bank of Starling_ **

The gang and the cops were shooting at each other before retreating, while Nyssa and the Hood were hiding in the shadows as they saw a bag of cash on the ground. The Hood fired a special arrow that burst out metal wires, pinning the bag to the ground.

Nyssa and the Hood fired two more arrows, disarming Ace and robbing Jack of his bag of cash as well.

"Our cash!" Ace screamed as he tried to take back his spoils.

"Forget it, go, go!" King ordered before gunfire from a machine gun rang out, causing for them to take cover.

"Stay down, or I'll put you down!" Vigilante snarled.

The Hood fired an explosive arrow behind Vigilante as it exploded, burning his mask as he fell down and took it off and the Hood gapped upon seeing…

" _Adrian_?"

Adrian ran into the shadows, covering his face, luckily, no one noticed him, aside from the Hood and Nyssa and they were forced to hide in the shadows as Hilton and the officers were entering the tunnel as Nyssa fired at fuse box and the robbers managed to escape.

* * *

**_Four months ago, Russia_ **

_Anatoly gave his men some orders in Russian as they went out before turning to Oliver, Diggle and Nyssa. "They'll let us know if there's some news about this… Diaz."_

_"Good." Oliver nodded. Then, another Russian entered, upset and beaten up._

_"Anton, what happened?" Anatoly asked in Russian._

_"Some men came, they demanded our food stocks as price for their "protection"." Anton said. "I told them they were making a mistake but their enforcer, Cheshire killed our men when they tried to resist. Told me to tell other leaders of Bratva not to object. Said that this is Basilisk's city now."_

_"Apparently, Basilisk has grown bolder." Nyssa said._

_"Anatoly, have someone get Diggle and Mia to safety." Oliver ordered. "We'll look into it."_

* * *

_Oliver and Nyssa, in their hoods were on rooftop on a lookout as he turned to her. "Are you ready for this?"_

_"Are you, Oliver?" Nyssa asked._

_"Yeah." Oliver said as he noticed the uncertainty in her eyes._

_"It's been a long time since I allowed myself to feel this way about someone else. To… truly care about someone."_

_"Me too." Oliver admitted._

_"This path I follow…" Nyssa said. "Nothing but pain and misery awaits those, who follow me. No matter how much we might care about each other."_

_"Maybe you need someone strong enough to carry that burden with you." Oliver pointed out._

_"Perhaps." Nyssa turned to him. "Perhaps we both need to find our way out from the darkness." They looked at each other for a moment and kissed before they heard voices as some people were going out as Nyssa pulled out her goggles._

_"It's them." She said, noticing the basilisk tattoo on neck of one of them._

_"Let's do this." Oliver and Nyssa jumped down, firing their arrows._

* * *

_**Present, the Lair** _

"Wait a minute, Adrian Chase? Laurel's friend, the A.D.A. is Vigilante?" Diggle demanded in disbelief as he and Sara stared.

"I can't believe it either." Oliver murmured.

Sara sighed. "What are we gonna do?"

"Confront him. But that can wait, we need to find Reston before they hit the next bank." Oliver said.

"And when we confront Mr. Chase, what do you suggest, Oliver?" Nyssa asked.

"Get to the bottom of this." Oliver said.

"He shot you!" Nyssa snapped.

"I know. I just… need to understand." Oliver said. "I'll go talk with Mr. Reston first."

* * *

**_Later, gala_ **

Oliver, Tommy and Nyssa were mingling as Nyssa turned to Oliver. "Well?"

"I offered him another chance but they decided to make one more hit tonight."

Nyssa sighed, eying Adrian. "Some people you can't save from themselves, Oliver."

"I don't believe that." Oliver snapped as they saw Adrian dancing with Laurel and Sara dancing with Tommy. "Why is Adrian doing this?"

Nyssa sighed. "We need to talk to Mr. Chase later."

"Agreed." Oliver nodded before Diggle waved his hand, signaling.

* * *

_**Redwood United Bank** _

Kyle, wearing his Ace mask and Derek with a King mask on were looting the vault as they knocked the guard out before they heard banging and Kyle went out to check the noise as the Hood and Nyssa showed up from the shadows.

"Kyle Reston." The Hood and Nyssa fired their arrows but Kyle used a riot shield to block their shots.

"I came prepared!" He fired from his rifle as the Hood and Nyssa jumped over the counter to take cover. Kyle went to look behind the counter but they weren't there as he turned around to get an arrow in his shoulder as Nyssa rushed at him and Kyle broke the arrow in his shoulder with his shield, while blocking Nyssa's attacks and she knocked him on the ground.

"Stay down or I'll put you down!" Nyssa snarled as Kyle was reaching for his gun.

Derek went out but the Hood disarmed him of his rifle, just as Kyle reached for his gun as the guard showed up with a shotgun. "Freeze!"

"No, we got this!" The Hood yelled.

"Drop your weapons, now!" The guard shouted as Derek jumped in front of his son, getting hit with the shotgun as Kyle got up but Nyssa grabbed him by his arm and with one swift move, she knocked him down on the floor.

"He's bleeding out." The Hood said as he checked on Derek before turning to the guard. "Call an ambulance! Now!"

The guard went into the office as Derek trembled. "Kyle, Kyle…"

"He's just knocked out." Nyssa assured him. "He's lucky I held back."

"It wasn't his fault. I turned my son into this." Derek murmured before succumbing to his wounds as Nyssa closed her eyes, sighing as she realized what did he mean.

* * *

**_Later, the Lair_ **

"What happened was not your fault, Oliver." Nyssa said. "I suppose some people will not take the second chance they are offered. You're the one, who taught me to give people second chances."

"And I think your Dad would have been proud of you." Sara assured him. "You tried to help the people he had wronged."

"Maybe there is more than one way to save this city after all." Diggle said as Oliver smiled.

"Maybe."

"There was a time I would have thought that compassion is weakness." Nyssa said. "But… maybe we need to see things differently."

"But what about the Vigilante?" Sara asked.

* * *

_**Elsewhere in Starling City** _

Adrian was in his apartment closing the closet with Vigilante suit as he turned around before everything went black…

* * *

…and Adrian woke up on the rooftop, chained to a chimney as he faced a man in green hood and a woman in black hood, both of them holding bows and on their backs quivers full of arrows.

"Adrian Chase, we need to talk."

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> So, what do you guys think about it?
> 
> Please review and let me know if you are enjoying this so far.


	8. Family Feud

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Oliver and Nyssa get caught in a path of vengeance that runs in the roots of a family that's gone down some dark places as they reflect on their own pasts.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Disclaimer: I do not own DC Comics or the CW TV shows Arrow, The Flash, Legends of Tomorrow or any other characters or elements pertaining to the mentioned franchises.

Adrian yelled out as he tried to struggle out of the chains.

"You can try to struggle your way out all night." Nyssa smirked. "But the only way you're walking out of here is if we let you."

"Now, to get to the point. You've left a trail of bodies behind you." The Hood said. "Why would an Assistant District Attorney kill criminals?"

"I haven't killed anyone who didn't have it coming or still gave me a choice to let them live." Adrian sneered. "I tried to do things the right way. The lawful way. The way I've always been. But sometimes, that's not enough. Just like you." Adrian then glared. "I got in your way twice. You're not the type that would let that happen. So why didn't you just kill me?"

"Like you, we don't kill on a whim." The Hood sneered.

"Then we both want the same thing." Adrian pleaded before he measured them. Their faces were covered by hoods but… still… "You've got quite a particular choice of weapons, I gotta tell you."

"We're just trying to make this city a better place." The Hood said.

"And unlike you, if it comes down to it, we spare lives, if death can be avoided." Nyssa pointed out. "There was a time I would have thought that no criminal deserves to live but I've learned."

"Now tell us, how is an Assistant District Attorney able to fight and use military-grade weapons?" The Hood asked as he held Adrian's rifle, while Adrian stared. "Look, nobody else has to get hurt. You can stop now."

"I can't." Adrian glared. "They're still out there. And would you have stopped? I know that look in your eyes." The Hood and Nyssa froze for a moment. "You have a mission. Just like me. Could you just stop?" There was no reply as Adrian scoffed. "As I thought. You want to rid this city of the scum that's poisoning it. Just like me."

"Then why don't you just stick to your job as an Assistant District Attorney?" Nyssa demanded.

"You think I like doing this?" Adrian scoffed. "I'm just doing what needs to be done to stop them from hurting anyone else ever again. Everyone I put down, I tried to get behind bars but guess what… technicality, not enough evidence… they'll always weasel their way out somehow. Take Adam Hunt or Martin Sommers for example. They were able to get away with what they have been doing, until you intervened. What I'm doing is no…"

"You almost got innocent people caught in crossfire in the Glades last week!" The Hood snapped.

"Well, then…" Adrian scoffed. "I'm sorry for that. But they made their choice. And so did I. We're all doing our best in a bad situation, don't we? But we can't help everyone, can we? We can't fix every bad thing that happens."

Nyssa then looked into his eyes. She had seen that look before… "Who did you lose, Mr. Chase?" Adrian raised his brows. "Over the years, I've seen people with the same look you have. Full of grief, loss, anger… this is about revenge, isn't it?"

"I'm just doing what needs to be done, when they walk away with what they did!" Adrian snapped. "Did someone you care about, ever get caught into crossfire? And were those responsible, brought in, only to walk away with it again?"

The Hood then realized where Adrian was going with this. "Yes."

"Then you should understand." Adrian said as Nyssa sighed, understanding too.

"Loss changes people. In ways that can turn you into someone, you don't even recognize anymore. And it may wake up something dark inside you and you have no idea how to deal with that darkness." Nyssa said and Adrian looked down, sad. "Death happens. We all lose people we care about. So, who did you lose? Someone you loved?" The look in Adrian's eyes answered his question. "How does your loss justify this?"

Adrian then looked up to them. "Do you know what it's like… to blissfully have a moment of joy with your family… and out of the sudden… everything around you burns, shots are fired… and you see people getting caught in crossfire and no matter how hard you try… you watch those you love, die? You hold them, dying in your arms…" Tears were filling his eyes. "And all you can do is feel their lives slowly flowing away, slipping away from your hands…"

The Hood nodded. "Yes."

"And you try to look for those responsible but they walk away with it. No matter how hard you try to stop them with all your moral authority and conviction… they find a way out. So, there's only one way you can stop the likes of them."

"Yes." Nyssa nodded. "Sometimes it is one way stop them BUT it doesn't have to come to this first. I've learned that the hard way."

Adrian glared. "I know what you may think but I'm not the bad one here. I'm just doing whatever it takes to protect people, just like you."

"And what about giving people second chances?" The Hood snapped as Adrian scoffed.

"Oh, for the love of…"

"The bank robbers were driven into desperation by Robert Queen, who laid Mr. Reston off from his job. He did that because he felt like he didn't have a choice. Not because he enjoyed it." The Hood explained.

"That's no excuse for what they did. They still hurt people." Adrian snapped. "They had their chance. And they blew it."

"There was a time I believed that no one deserved redemption either. But I've seen bad people change for the better." Nyssa snapped. "And I think that you believe you don't have a choice either in what you do."

"So, what's holding you back?" The Hood asked. "What have you been through? Let us help you. Please."

Adrian stared at them for a moment before they heard the door open and someone going up as he noticed the Hood, Nyssa and Adrian chained up, his face covered in shadow. "Hey! What's going on…"

Adrian roared as he used all his strength to bust out from the chains, tackling the Hood and jumping off the rooftop and Nyssa did a throwing motion on the ground as the following explosion and cloud bursting helped them conceal their escape.

* * *

**_Later, the Lair_ **

"Something has… happened to him." Oliver said as he turned to Diggle. "Something… broke inside of him. I've seen that look before. I don't think he's a bad person. I think he's just… lost."

Nyssa sighed. "I've seen some initiates with the same look he had. Full of grief, anger… they needed direction."

"From what you told me, I think Chase's just a bag of crazy." Diggle sighed.

"There's something we're missing." Oliver said as they turned to Sara, who had a considering look in her eyes. "You know something?"

"Well…" Sara sighed. "I didn't think it would impact him that much but…"

"What?" Nyssa asked.

Sara cleared her throat. "OK, look, Adrian started to work in D.A.'s office here last year, few months before you came back. Before that, he worked in New York and his family, wife and children, were gunned down in a gang war in Central Park. I didn't think…"

"It must have scarred him so much…" Nyssa trailed off.

"What are we gonna do about him?" Sara asked. "You're not gonna…"

"Killing an A.D.A. by a vigilante? Do you know how much trouble we could get into?" Oliver snapped.

"But you can't let him walk around like that either." Nyssa said.

Oliver then looked at his phone as he saw that he had few missed calls from Moira as he turned on the voicemail. " _Oliver, I was hoping if you could go with me for a lunch tomorrow…_ "

* * *

**_The next day_ **

Oliver drove his bike in front of Queen Consolidated before answering his phone. "Hello?"

" _Hi, Mom said I'm supposed to remind you to pick her up for lunch._ " Thea said over the line.

"Was I supposed to have lunch with her today?" Oliver asked.

" _She said she left you like five messages. Just bite the bullet and have a cobb salad with the woman._ "

"You know, Thea, sometimes it's difficult to remember which one of you is my mother." Oliver turned off his headset as he saw his mother exiting the building with another man but his instincts turned on after waving at his mother as he noticed another bike, with a rider in black jumping the curb and shooting at Moira's direction as Oliver rushed at her, tackling her to the ground, while the man was shot to death. "Get down!" He looked at his mother, concerned. "Mom, are you OK?"

"I'm alright." Moira assured him.

"Are you hurt?"

"No, I… I…" She stared in shock at the dead man.

"Are you sure?"

"I'm fine."

"You sure you're fine?" Oliver asked as Moira nodded, and he turned to the nearby security guard. "Call 911!"

He ran to his bike, chasing the rider down the street as they made a turn to a side road, with him grabbing a metal pole in a dumpster, using it as a spear, damaging the bike's rear tire and as he was about to catch up, a lorry cut him off, allowing the shooter to escape.

* * *

**_Four months ago, Russia_ **

_The mercenaries were shooting as Oliver and Nyssa were rushing towards some containers, taking cover before they both fired, incapacitating them and the Hood fired above as a platform of crates collapsed on the thugs as Nyssa pulled out her sword and stabbed one of them in the shoulder. "Where are the supplies?"_

_"Tell us!" The Hood demanded._

_"I won't tell you!" The man sneered as Nyssa started to drive the blade into his flesh and vertically cut as the man hissed in pain. "I'll die before I break."_

_"Oh, I think it will be the other way around." Nyssa snapped as she started to cut the flesh off as the man laughed._

_"These supplies are not Bratva's anymore. Everything belongs to Diaz now!"_

_"Where is he?!" Oliver demanded._

_"You don't need to look for him. He'll find you." The man grabbed Nyssa's blade and drove it through his chest, killing himself as Oliver stared in shock._

* * *

**_Present, District Attorney's Office_ **

Adrian went into the work, trying to act casually as he poured himself a coffee into his mug before D.A. Spencer approached him. "Rough night again?"

"I haven't been able to sleep lately." Adrian admitted.

Spencer narrowed her eyes. "I think you should take a leave."

"Excuse me?" Adrian scowled.

"Adrian, I'm just worried about you alright. Lately, you look tired, you barely sleep and you overwork yourself." Spencer pleaded. "As a friend, I'm asking you to throttle back a bit. Get a rest. When you feel like you're ready to go to work again at 100%, you're welcome back. I'm just not sure you'll be fine working in state like this one."

Adrian sighed, admitting she had a point. "Look, there's still the Bertinelli case I'm working on and it's not finished. Let me get this one done at least and I'll take a leave for a few weeks."

"Fair enough." Spencer nodded as she left. Adrian looked at the window at his reflection and at what the vigilante had told him. And he was asking himself, why was he doing what he was doing at night… the answer was he didn't want to let them walk away. Since it was reminding him that whoever killed his family was still out there… and he was doing what the police could not.

* * *

**_The Lair_ **

"Ollie, I don't think that the shooter was after your Mom." Sara said as they reviewed the footage. "Look." She zoomed on the man that was gunned down.

"Who is that?" Nyssa asked.

"Paul Copani. Works for Bertinelli Construction and Frank Bertinelli." Sara explained.

"The mob boss?" Diggle asked.

"Yeah and Dad's been trying for a while to take him down." Sara nodded.

"A man like him has many enemies." Nyssa mused. "Perhaps, if we get an insight on his organization…"

"We might be able to figure out who's targeting it and why." Oliver finished as Diggle and Sara stared.

"So, let me get this right, Oliver. Your mother's shot at, nearly killed and the way you process it is by going undercover with the mob." Diggle drawled.

"I'm not trying to process anything emotionally." Oliver denied.

"I think what Diggle is trying to say is that shouldn't you be there for your family at least for once in a while?" Sara pointed out.

"I tried that today with Thea. She told me I wasn't being honest with her and she's right." Oliver explained, frustrated. "She told me I wasn't being honest with her and she's right. I can't very well explain to her that I left our mother alone and bleeding on the pavement because I'm fast enough to almost run down an attacker. But what I can do is protect my family."

"And once we find the man responsible, he will face justice." Nyssa finished. "I promise."

"And what about Adrian?" Oliver asked as he turned to Sara.

Sara sighed. "I asked Laurel and I did some research on him. Three years ago, his wife and kids were gunned down in a crossfire in gang war in New York between Dogs of Hell, East Side Dragons and the Mexican Cartel."

"Poor man." Nyssa murmured.

"After that, Adrian laid low and there wasn't much news about him before he came to Starling City, working in D.A.'s office." Sara said.

"That doesn't explain how is he able to use guns and fight." Diggle said.

"Well, I think I have an answer to that question." Sara said. "Shortly before he went off-the-grid, he was building a case with a witness. Aiden Holloway. He had quite a rap sheet. Holloway was killed by East Side Dragons three months later. After that, there hasn't been much attention to Adrian."

"Wanna bet that this Holloway taught Adrian to fight and use guns?" Diggle mused.

"What are we gonna do about him?" Sara asked.

Oliver sighed. "Adrian said that the people he put down, they were the ones he couldn't convict first. Try to keep watch on any cases that the D.A.'s office has that he's assigned to. If anyone else walks away…"

Diggle and Sara nodded.

* * *

**_Later, Bertinelli Manor_ **

Oliver rang the doorbell, with Nyssa at his side, in dress as he turned to her. "I know how you usually deal with the likes of him but please, try to be civil. We don't know the whole picture yet."

"But if he is involved…" Before Nyssa could finish, they heard the door open but Oliver managed to subtly nod in understanding before turning to Frank Bertinelli.

"Mr. Bertinelli." Oliver shook his hand with him politely.

"Call me Frank." Frank said.

"Call me Oliver." Oliver smiled before Frank turned to Nyssa next to him. "This is my business partner, Nyssa Raatko. She's helping me with the club I'm working on with my friend Tommy Merlyn."

"Pleased to meet you, Mr. Bertinelli." She shook hand with him, trying to resist the urge to snap his neck.

"Thank you for agreeing to meet me at my home." Frank said.

"My father used to say that living rooms make the best conference rooms." Oliver said.

"Oh, I'm gonna steal that." Frank laughed before turning to the tall man near him. "Nick Salvati, my associate."

Nyssa narrowed her eyes, she had seen his type before… more like Frank's muscle.

"How do you do?" Oliver shook his hand with Nick as Nyssa did the same.

"Let's have a drink." Frank said as they went into the study and Oliver and Nyssa took a glance of his daughter Helena upstairs. And as Nyssa looked into her eyes… she had seen the look in her eyes before. It was best to be cautious around her.

As they entered Frank's office, Oliver scowled upon noticing Adrian and another man in suit talking to each other. "We have no idea if this attack was somehow connected to Mr. Bertinelli."

"Very well. I just want Mr. Bertinelli to know that the office is not pressing any charges." Adrian said before noticing Oliver and Nyssa.

"Thank you. You may leave." Frank said as the man left through another corridor as Adrian approached Frank.

"If you can think of anything that would help with the case, please contact me." Adrian said as he showed Frank his card.

"Thank you, Mr. Chase. I assure you, what happened with Mr. Copani and Miss Queen was a tragic coincidence."

"I better hope so." Adrian said with a hint of venom in his tone before turning to Oliver, nodding politely. "Mr. Queen."

"Mr. Chase." Oliver nodded back, narrowing his eyes though as he and Adrian stared at each other before Adrian turned to Nyssa.

"Care to introduce us?"

"Nyssa, this is Adrian Chase. Assistant District Attorney. Mr. Chase, my business partner, Nyssa Raatko." Oliver introduced them as they shook hands.

"Mr. Chase." Nyssa said.

"Miss Raatko." Adrian scowled as he could swear he had heard that voice before… but he decided to quickly leave the manor and not push his luck.

They sat at the desk as they all shared a drink. "So, Oliver, I'll be honest with you, I was surprised to hear from you. It was my impression from the local news that you weren't going to be involved with your family's business."

"Well, apparently, there were a few catchphrases that I missed while I was away for five years. One of them being ' _lame-stream media_ '." Oliver deadpanned. "The press never gets anything right."

"Oh, I know a thing or two about that." Frank nodded as Salvati left as his phone rang. "So, Oliver, I'll be blunt. I want the contract to build Queen Consolidated's new Applied Sciences Division."

"And I am inclined to give it to you." Oliver assured him.

"Your mother wasn't quite so enthusiastic." Frank said. "How is she, by the way?"

"She's recuperating at home, thank you." Oliver replied.

"What a terrible thing that happened." Frank said sincerely as both Oliver and Nyssa nodded.

"And we would like to offer you our condolences about what happened to Paul Copani." Nyssa said.

"Paul was a good friend." Frank said, rubbing his eye. "He was a good man. Yeah, the violence in this city. You know, sometimes I wonder why I stay." He took a drink as Nyssa scowled, disgusted by Frank trying to sell his act to earn their trust but she needed to play her act too to earn his trust. "So, why did you come back? You could have settled anywhere in the world. Yet you come here, with someone from… elsewhere."

"Because Starling City is my home." Oliver said.

Then, they heard a female voice speak in Italian as they looked up, seeing Helena Bertinelli enter. "No matter which way you go or turn, you'll always end up at home." She translated as Frank, Oliver and Nyssa stood up.

"Oliver, Nyssa, this is my daughter Helena." Frank gestured towards her.

"Hello." Oliver said.

"Nice to meet you." Helena smiled before turning to her father. "I'm heading out."

"Alright, take one of the guys with you." Frank ordered.

"I can take care of myself." Helena protested.

"I wasn't asking, sweetie." Frank insisted, touching her chin as Nyssa scowled at the veiled threat.  _He reminded her of her own father…_

Salvati then entered, calling Frank out, forcing Oliver and Nyssa to deal with Helena.

* * *

Adrian was outside, in the bushes, observing the Bertinelli's with his binoculars but narrowed his eyes upon seeing Oliver and Nyssa before he used a device to eavesdrop and as he heard Nyssa… that voice… the strange accent… just like that woman the other night… it made him wonder…

* * *

**_SCPD_ **

Quentin and Hilton were eavesdropping on the conversation of Frank and China White. " _Whoever it is, when I find out who's behind this, there will be blood._ "

"Sounds like Bertinellli's ready to put the screws to everyone, who pays him protection money." Hilton said.

"Yeah, well, three of his best earners have been murdered." Quentin commented. "He's gotta make up the cash somewhere. Whoever is pruning the family tree is looking to make Bertinelli suffer."

"Maybe it's someone from the rival families." A woman with golden brown hair said as she neared them.

"Well, according to the coroner's reports, none of the vic's took a clean shot, half the bullets missed." Quentin revealed. "Our killer's not a pro."

"That's not stopping him from pulling that trigger."

"That's up to us." Quentin turned back to the board.

"Or this is gonna blow up into an all-out mob war." The woman finished.

"That's why we're here. To stop this, agent Drake." Hilton assured her.

* * *

_**Later, Russo's restaurant** _

"I heard about your mother's accident. Is she gonna be OK?" Helena asked as Russo left her alone with Oliver and Nyssa at the table.

"She's gonna be fine, thanks." Oliver smiled as he picked the menu as Nyssa kept silently staring at Helena with her assessing gaze.

"I'm glad." Helena said honestly before they all looked at the menu. "So, why would you want to go into business with my father? You know who he is and how he made his money."

"We share a name and that name defines us whether we want it or not." She smiled. "You've already made judgements about me, just like I've already made judgments about you."

"I know what it's like… the burden of your family's name… as a brand that becomes almost the very definition of who you are." Nyssa nodded.

"What would you know about that, Miss Raatko?" Helena asked. "I've never heard of that name, so I can't tell who you are."

"Well, Raatko is more like a… shield to protect me from who I really am." Nyssa said. "Let's just say that… my father's name is a cross that sometimes is not easy to bear but I have to."

"Who's your father?" Helena challenged.

"Let's just say you don't want to know." Nyssa said and the answer was all Helena needed as she nodded. "I know what it's like when the family name defines us whether we want it or not. And… while I have made peace with being my father's daughter long ago… sometimes, it's too much to bear."

Helena nodded. "I'm guessing you've already made judgements about me, just like I've already made judgements about your boyfriend."

"Right." Oliver smiled. "I'm the rich man's Lindsay Lohan."

"Sorry." Helena apologized.

"That's OK." Oliver asked.

"Do I want to know who she is?" Nyssa asked.

"Probably not." Oliver shrugged.

"I don't know what you've been through but… can I ask you something?" Helena inquired.

"Go ahead." Oliver nodded.

"I'm guessing you two have been through a lot, from the way you look at each other and it hasn't been easy." Helena mused. "Was there ever… a day you two were just happy to be away from it all? No family expecting you to be this version of you they'd built up in their heads, no pressure to be who everyone expected you to be? Was there ever a day…"

"When neither of us felt lost and felt free?" Oliver finished and Helena nodded. Oliver and Nyssa looked at each other. "More than one."

"And to be honest, those are the days that we miss." Nyssa admitted.

"People are always asking me what I miss the most. I give them the easy answers: social media, showers, because they're the answers they're expecting."

"Why can't you just be truthful?"

Nyssa sighed. "Because some people are not ready for truth…"

"Or we don't know how truthful we can be." Oliver said as Helena noticed the look in Nyssa's eyes'

"Something has happened to you. I can see it." Helena said as Nyssa narrowed her eyes. "You've been through a lot. And I think you…" She stopped herself as Nyssa scowled.

"What?" Nyssa noticed how Helena was holding onto her cross. "That's a beautiful cross."

Helena flinched as they noticed the pain in her eyes. "It's a gift. From my fiancé."

"We had no idea you were engaged." Nyssa said.

"Congratulations." Oliver smiled.

"I'm not anymore. He died." Helena explained sadly.

"I'm sorry." Oliver said.

"Me too." Helena murmured. "That was my crucible." She said, tangling her fingers with the necklace.

Oliver's pocket buzzed as his phone went off and Nyssa tensed, noticing the look in Helena's eyes as Oliver got up before turning to Nyssa. "Helena, we have to go, there's something that we have to do, otherwise we would stay."

"And I would like that." Helena admitted.

Nyssa put on the table some bills before Helena stopped her. "My father would kill me if I let you pay."

Nyssa smiled. "To be honest, I wasn't eager to the idea of going out with you and Oliver tonight."

"Me neither." Helena admitted.

"But I am honestly glad that I did." Oliver said.

"I hope that makes three of us." Helena turned to Nyssa, who sighed.

"Well, I… can't say this was not an… educating dinner." She admitted.

"Be careful with my father." Helena warned as they left the restaurant before Nyssa turned to Oliver.

"She shot your mother."

"What?" Oliver gasped.

"That look in her eyes. I've seen it before." Nyssa said. "Just like mine, when I lost Fadir. I was angry, lost, consumed with grief and all I wanted was to make suffer as many people as possible." She sighed. "My father helped me face the grief… but she… I'm not sure but I think that her father was somehow behind her fiancé's death and…"

"She found out and wants to get payback." Oliver finished as Nyssa nodded. "If you're right, we need to call Diggle."

* * *

From a rooftop nearby, Adrian was observing Helena, Oliver and Nyssa and eavesdropping with a listening device before he heard Nyssa's voice and the accent… he instantly recognized it. Which meant that Oliver Queen and that woman, Nyssa, were…  _they want the same thing, so why are they clashing with each other?_

Adrian decided not to engage them, until he knew the whole picture.

* * *

Few moments later, Nick Salvati and his henchmen entered, threatening Russo and throwing some bottles off the bar on the ground, crashing them as he was about to rough up him and his daughter before the Hood and Nyssa, in her assassin outfit entered as the Hood shot one of them down and Nyssa sliced another one in his leg as he fell down before Salvati pulled out a pistol and fired, causing for the two vigilantes to take cover and the biker Oliver had chased the other day entered through the opened door, shooting Salvati in his leg before Nyssa threw a shuriken, disarming the shooter and engaged her in close combat as the shooter managed to block her blows and hold her own but Nyssa smashed the glass of the helmet's visor and pulled it out, revealing Helena's face. Nyssa narrowed her eyes, considering her next step before a gunshot rang out from above, causing for them to take cover as they saw Vigilante on the opposite rooftop.

"If I were you, I'd get out before the cops arrive." Vigilante yelled as he walked away. The Hood and Nyssa turned to the spot, where Helena was hiding but she managed to vanish.

* * *

**_Later, the Lair_ **

"Wait a minute, Helena Bertinelli is the same person that shot your Mom?" Sara stared. "I don't get it. Why would she target her own family?"

"I don't have any solid proof but I am certain her father had her fiancé killed." Nyssa said.

"What makes you think that?" Diggle asked.

"That look in her eyes. I've seen it before. She despises her father and wants to hurt him in the most painful way possible. She wants to make him see his empire crumble, piece by piece." Nyssa listed and Oliver knew what was she talking about.

"I'm guessing that it didn't work out in your case." Sara drawled.

"Sara, please, don't." Oliver said.

"Ollie, I know that neither of you wants to talk about it but… you can't keep this to yourselves." Sara pleaded.

"But back to the topic, we need to stop her before more bodies drop for an all-out mob war." Oliver said.

* * *

_**The next day, SCPD** _

As they were reviewing the footage of what was happening at Russo, one woman narrowed her eyes before she ordered Kelton to stop the surveillance footage and she noticed Oliver Queen talking to Helena Bertinelli and another woman...

* * *

**_Queen Manor_ **

"What do you think we should do about her?" Nyssa turned to Oliver.

"I know what you would have done." Oliver said.

"You're the one, who reminded me to be human again." Nyssa said. "That maybe we don't need to always…"

Then they heard doorbell as Oliver opened the door to meet a woman around 30 years old, with long golden brown hair. "Can I help you?"

The woman showed her badge. "Agent Dinah Drake, Federal Bureau of Investigation. May I come in?"

Oliver nodded but tensed, not liking that FBI had him on his radar as he let her in. "Is something wrong, Agent?"

Dinah sighed. "Last night, you and your girlfriend…" She turned to Nyssa. "…were spotted at Russo's restaurant with Helena Bertinelli, whose father may be associated with organized crime here in Starling City. May I ask what were you doing there with her, Mr. Queen?"

"Business." Oliver said automatically. "Nothing more."

"What kind of business?" Dinah narrowed her eyes as she turned to Nyssa. "Why would an European investor be interested in doing business with the likes of her?"

"Is there a point to this visit, agent Drake?" Nyssa asked.

"I'm not making any accusations, Mr. Queen but if I may give you an advice, you better keep your distance from Miss Bertinelli. She's not someone you want to be close to." Dinah said as Oliver nodded.

"I hear you, agent. Will that be all?" Oliver asked as he opened the door to her.

"For now. You better stay out of trouble. For your own sake." Dinah said, taking a quick glance at Oliver and Nyssa with her assessing gaze before leaving.

"That woman is..." Oliver paused.

"Adamant?" Nyssa tried.

"One way to put it." Oliver nodded. "I think we shouldn't underestimate her."

* * *

From afar, Adrian was observing Oliver and Nyssa with binoculars before he noticed a woman with golden brown hair and…  _no way… it couldn't be…_

* * *

_**Four months ago, Russia** _

_"I can't believe he killed himself rather than talk." Oliver said as he and Nyssa walked out._

_"You would be surprised how far are people willing to go to prove their loyalty, Oliver." Nyssa said as they went back into the Bratva hideout but were surprised to see a tall man around 40 years old talking with Diggle and Mia._

_"John King." Nyssa said in recognition._

_"Thank you for protecting my daughter but I'd like to take her home now." King said gratefully. "Oliver Queen. I thought you were dead."_

_"I was… out of civilization's reach. I've been trying to find my way back."_

_"I can provide you with a jet to…"_

_"Not until you tell us why is Basilisk after you." Nyssa said bluntly as King paled._

_"I don't know what are you…"_

_"They tried to kidnap your daughter and you don't get to play innocent." Nyssa sneered._

_King sighed. There was no point in lying to them. "Look, I have large influence in restoration projects in many cities in the U.S. They wanted me to give them legal access to set up bases in the States. When I turned them down, they tried to kidnap my daughter and she told me how you saved her. Please, let me take you home, Oliver." He insisted._

_Oliver looked tempted._

* * *

**_Present, Starling Cemetery_ **

Helena was kneeling at a gravestone on which was carved " _Michael Staton_ " before she got up on her feet and turned around to face Oliver and Nyssa.

"Your fiancé?" Oliver asked.

"How did you find me here?" Helena asked, surprised.

"We followed you from your house." Nyssa explained. Helena then turned to the gravestone again as she nodded. "You said that losing him was your own crucible."

"That it changed you. You didn't say how." Oliver finished.

"When you love someone as much as I loved him, with all of your heart, you can't just turn that emotion off, when they're taken from you. You still feel things as deeply. And if it can't be love that you feel, then… then it becomes hate." Helena sighed.

"I know what it is like." Nyssa nodded. "To be so consumed with grief and loss, that it becomes poison in your veins that burns within every inch of your body and you have no idea how to make that pain go away. I know you feel hate…"

"But the question remains, hate for who?" Oliver finished.

"You two should really stay away from me." Helena said as she neared them. As she was about to walk away, a black van showed up and Salvati and two of his henchmen went out, aiming their guns at them and forcing them inside the van.

* * *

**_Later, elsewhere in Starling City_ **

Helena, Oliver and Nyssa were zip-cuffed to chairs as Oliver and Nyssa were trying to subtly free themselves.

"My father will kill you for this." Helena sneered at Salvati, who smacked her as she fell on the floor and Nyssa glared, wanting nothing more than to grab his neck and snap it in a blink of an eye.

"I've been wanting to do that for years, you spoiled bitch." Salvati said as they put Helena's chair back up. "I knew it was someone from the inside waging war on your father and me. I just never thought it was this inside." He pulled out her cross necklace from his coat pocket. "You dropped this at Russo's."

"You're smarter than I gave you credit for, Nicky." Helena smirked.

"You're not." Salvati hit her again as he glared. "Now tell me… why?"

"My father had Michael murdered." Helena snarled as Nyssa looked at her in sympathy.  _While her own father may not have killed the man she loved, he was responsible for him commiting suicide…_

"Of course he did. He didn't want you to know the truth." Salvati pulled her hair. "Your rat of a fiancé was gathering evidence, he was talking to the freaking FBI! The love of your life was going to destroy your father."

"You're wrong." Helena retorted.

"I fond a laptop in Michael's bag, Helena." Salvati explained. "Everything that could send your father and me to prison for the rest of our lives was on it. That computer…"

"Was mine!" Helena wailed. "Michael wasn't the one talking to the FBI, I was." She said bluntly.

"You?" Salvati looked at her, shocked.

"My father is a monster." Helena growled. "He doesn't care about who he hurts to keep his money and power and I wanted it to stop."

"Well, then, it's your fault Michael's dead. Not your father for ordering the hit or me for carrying it out." Salvati pointed at Helena and Nyssa glared, realizing what was going on.

"You shot Michael?" Helena murmured.

"In the chest. Just so he knew it was me, just like this!" Salvati pointed out a pistol and Nyssa, having heard quite enough, broke herself free from the restraints and tackled Salvati on the ground, causing for his gun to slide down the floor before his two henchmen were about to engage. Oliver freed himself too and slammed the chair at one of them and grabbed him in a chokehold before snapping his neck and Nyssa kicked away another henchman nearing her, while Helena was fighting Salvati and Nyssa got up on her feet as the henchman tried to punch her but Nyssa blocked his attacks and poked him in the throat, causing for him to choke out and suffocate as he collapsed on the ground, holding his neck.

Helena kicked and slugged Salvati before he threw her over his shoulder and he knelt down. They both traded blows for a moment before Helena got up and spun around, kicking Salvati in the back of his head but Salvati rolled down and recovered, blocking another incoming kick but Helena slugged him, while Salvati did a counter-attack in her face but Helena grabbed him by his throat and pinned him to a forklift.

"You're gonna burn in hell for what you've done." Salvati hissed, choking out.

"It'll be worth it." Helena sneered before she snapped his neck.

"Helena…" Oliver murmured as he and Nyssa stared at her, as if they were looking at a darker reflection of themselves.

"I didn't have a choice, Oliver." Helena turned to them. "No one can know my secret."

* * *

**_Later, Nyssa's penthouse_ **

"She's like a darker reflection of me." Nyssa said. "Of who I once were before… you…"

"She wants revenge. And she doesn't stop to think about who gets hurt to get what she wants." Oliver sighed.

Nyssa stared. "I've never taken pleasure of innocent people getting hurt in pursuit of one's mission. That's why I abandoned the League. Father never would have allowed for me or sister to become…"

"I know." Oliver said as he embraced her. "I'll always be here for you."

"But what are we going to do about her?" Nyssa asked. "She won't stop until she sees her father's empire fall."

"Then maybe we should give her what she wants." Oliver offered.

* * *

**_Bertinelli Manor_ **

As Frank locked his safe and left his office, the Hood snuck in, typing the code in the numpad and grabbing a laptop from the computer…

* * *

_**Four months ago, Russia** _

_"No." Oliver declined. "I won't go with you. I'm not gonna endanger myself and anyone else by putting a bullseye on my family's back, when you're in Basilisk's gunsight for getting cold feet."_

_"Please, we all want to protect my daughter." King pleaded._

_Anatoly intervened. "Oliver, we cannot let Basilisk spread chaos here."_

_"They need to be stopped." Diggle agreed._

_"These are dangerous people, Mr. Queen, you can't fight them. I tried." King said._

_"They haven't faced me." Oliver assured him._

* * *

**_Present, elsewhere in Starling City_ **

Helena was watching the news report of Frank Bertinelli getting arrested as she was in her hotel apartment before she smirked.

"Well, I'd ask how you got in here but the Starling City vigilantes come and go as they please, do they?"

"How'd you know?" Nyssa asked.

"I saw you and Oliver fight. And I saw your eyes." Helena turned to her. "I don't know who you are but I can tell you've been through your own crucible. And whatever you've been through, it changed you and Oliver. In a way that only someone like me could understand."

"No." Nyssa shook her head. "There was a time I thought that revenge is justice but it's not. I lost someone I loved a lifetime ago and I hunted down the man responsible but it changed nothing. Killing is not always the answer. It won't make the pain go away. It may silence it for some time but it will be a part of us forever. All we can do is move on."

"I don't know how am I supposed to do that." Helena said.

"Start by not letting your past define you anymore. Live above your demons." Nyssa said.

"Is it that simple?" Helena challenged.

"Our past will always be our burden to bear… but with time, it gets easier." Nyssa explained. "That's all I can say. All we can do is reflect upon our past actions and how can we be better."

With that, she left the apartment, leaving Helena with her own thoughts.

* * *

**_Nyssa's penthouse_ **

Oliver was looking outside the window before Nyssa approached him. "Do you think she will listen?"

"I told her what happened with me…" Nyssa paused as she held his hand. "With us. Hopefully, it will give her something to think about at least."

"Maybe." Oliver said as his cellphone buzzed on, with a private number calling him as he picked it up. "Hello?"

" _Hello, Oliver. Or should I say, the Hood?_ " Oliver scowled, recognizing the voice. " _Don't worry, I'm not going to cause trouble to you or your girlfriend. I've been following Bertinelli's for the case and you got on my radar. It wasn't that hard to connect the dots. Consider this call a peace offering._ "

"Peace offering? What do you mean by that, Adrian?" Oliver asked.

" _Maybe you don't know… but I lost people. Few years ago, my wife, son and daughter were killed._ "

"I've read about it." Oliver said. "What does it have to do…"

" _I'm calling a ceasefire. I've noticed that you crippled Hunt and Sommers and other people in a way they can't walk away from it, with as few bodies as possible. And I have not killed anyone who didn't have it coming or have still given me a choice to spare them. So, how about this. You stay out of my way and I'll stay out of yours. If your guys walk away, I put them down. Just to make things clear._ " Adrian said.

"You don't want me as your enemy." Oliver warned.

" _And you don't want me as yours either. So how about we stay out of each other's way for now?_ "

Oliver sneered. "Give me one good reason and I'll take you down."

" _Good luck with that._ " Adrian hung up as Oliver scowled.

"What happened?" Nyssa asked.

"I think that Vigilante has called ceasefire for now." Oliver said.

* * *

_**Adrian's apartment** _

Adrian was watching TV before he heard a doorbell as he opened the door and smiled. "Hey, Adrian."

"Hi." Adrian smiled. "Dinah. It's been…"

"Three years. I haven't seen you since your family's funeral." Dinah nodded. "I've heard you were working on Bertinelli prosecution. How have you been?"

"I'm…" Adrian paused. "I'm fine."

"I thought you'd be happy to see me." Dinah said, disappointed.

"I am, I am." Adrian said quickly.

"We've got some catching up to do. Can I…"

"Sure." Adrian let Dinah in as they smiled at each other.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I'll be honest, I don't hate Dinah Drake, I hate what the showrunners have done with her. I think there was a potential for Dinah being a redeemable character, when she was initially introduced in Season 5 but the way they handled her turned her into no better of a vengeful bitch than Helena was. Yes, Dinah Drake was the very first Black Canary before Dinah Laurel Lance but some people think it's an insult towards Laurel in Arrow and I agree. I honestly think that Dinah could have been handled better and that's what I will try to do here and I'm not gonna turn her into a bitch she is currently on Arrow. I know you may think it will go down that way, since she's being with Adrian Chase (Vigilante), just like in the show but don't worry, I'm not gonna turn her into a vengeful ruthless whore, I'm doing my own spin on her.
> 
> So, what do you guys think about it?
> 
> Please review and let me know if you are enjoying this so far.


	9. The Dark Archer

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Oliver needs to face a mysterious new copycat archer as Nyssa helps him realize, who is his new enemy.
> 
> In flashbacks, the fight with Basilisk takes an unexpected turn.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Disclaimer: I do not own DC Comics or the CW TV shows Arrow, The Flash, Legends of Tomorrow or any other characters or elements pertaining to the mentioned franchises.

Dinah was putting on her shirt as Adrian poured himself a drink at kitchen, with his pants on. "I'm glad you came to visit me. You won't mind staying for breakfast…"

"I'm sorry, I gotta get back to work now." Dinah smiled at him. "What can I say, murders happen every day."

"When can I hope to see you?" Adrian asked.

"We'll see." Dinah smiled as they kissed each other. "See you around."

She went outside as her phone rang. "Yes? Wait, the Hood killed Hunt?"

* * *

_**Nyssa's penthouse** _

"Do you honestly believe you can trust Mr. Chase?" Nyssa asked as Oliver crossed another name off the list.

"I… think we need to keep an open mind." Oliver pointed out. "And I think I should visit Mom and Thea. I almost forgot…"

"Christmas." Nyssa realized. "Honestly, father believes that this celebration is pointless but I'd like to believe that there can be such joy in lives of others, once a year."

"Then you need to see the Christmas here in Starling City." Oliver assured her.

* * *

**_Later, Queen Manor_ **

Oliver entered the manor with Nyssa as they looked around. "I'd expected there would be more… decorations from what you've told me."

Thea walked out of the dining room as they turned to her. "Hey."

"Hi, Ollie." Thea said.

"Thea, why aren't there any decorations up in the house?" Oliver asked.

"What do you mean?" Thea inquired.

"No tree, no wreaths." Oliver explained.

"Oh." Thea gapped. "The Christmas party." Oliver nodded as she sighed. "Look, Ollie, when you and Dad disappeared, by the time Christmas rolled around, none of us felt like celebrating, so we kind of skipped Christmas that year." She paused before sighing. "Every year."

Oliver sighed. "I knew things would be different but Christmas?"

"Ollie, I'm not sure if throwing a party is a good idea." Thea said. "I mean, I get you want to make up for the last five years but… things are different now."

"Thea, I know I haven't been the son or stepson or brother you, Mom and Walter deserve, so I thought I would throw the party here." Oliver proposed as Thea gapped.

"Ollie, don't you think it would be better to do something low key?" Thea asked. "I mean, just you, me, Mom and Walter and Sara and Tommy. I mean, it will be her birthday soon and…"

"I think that might not be a bad idea at all. I think things should not be rushed, Oliver." Nyssa agreed as Oliver considered before they turned to the dining room, where were Moira, Walter, commissioner Nudocerdo and Malcolm Merlyn, who raised his brows to see Nyssa besides Oliver as she narrowed her eyes at him.

"The things that people forget is that Robin Hood was a criminal." Nudocerdo pointed out.

"And stealing from the rich to give the poor is the job of the Democrats." One of the men at the table replied.

"All joking aside, Commissioner, crime is down for the first time in five years." Malcolm pointed out.

"That's because of the changes my department has implemented." Nudocerdo argued.

"Or perhaps it's because the vigilante's activities have had a chilling effect on the city's criminals." Walter intervened.

"What are your thoughts, Oliver?" Malcolm turned to him.

Oliver thought about it for a moment. "I think the vigilante needs a better code name than " _The Hood_ " or the " _Hood guy_ "."

"I agree." Malcolm replied. "How about " _Green Arrow_ "?"

"Lame." Oliver said.

"Your thoughts, Miss Raatko?" Malcolm turned to Nyssa as they both looked at each other with locked gaze. "What would someone you think about a vigilante with a bow and arrow, taking matters into his own hands and enforcing his own form of justice upon those, who have wronged innocent?"

Nyssa narrowed her eyes as she and Malcolm didn't stop looking at each other with measuring stare. "I think that the vigilante is doing what needs to be done, when the system apparently is not efficient enough."

Before anyone else could speak up, Walter's phone rang as he left the room and one of the officers prompted Nudocerdo to leave the dinner as well before Oliver and Nyssa stood up.

"I'm sorry, Mom but there are some things we need to take care of because of the club."

"Of course." Moira nodded, disappointed.

* * *

**_Four months ago, Russia_ **

_"Oliver, some of my men have stumbled upon the Basilisk's enforcers and they managed to convince them to arrange a meeting with their leader." Anatoly said. "They will meet us tonight."_

_Oliver nodded. "We will try to negotiate with them to leave the city and leave your family alone."_

_"That will not be for free." King protested._

_"People always have their price. We just need to find theirs." Oliver mused._

_Diggle sighed. "Oliver, I'm not sure if negotiating with this psychopath will work."_

_"We should just take him out." Nyssa added._

_"There's been enough death in this city already." Oliver protested._

* * *

_**Present, the Lair** _

"What was that with Mr. Merlyn back there?" Oliver asked as he and Nyssa were at the desk with Diggle.

"Let's just say he and I have a history." Nyssa explained as Oliver scowled.

"You know him?" Oliver asked as she sighed.

"It's… a long story, Oliver. It's been a long time. Well, he…"

Then, Sara went down with the arrow in her hand. "It wasn't easy but I managed to smuggle one of the arrows from the morgue before the cops would put it in evidence."

Oliver examined the arrow. "Teflon-coated titanium blade serrated to split the bone. Shaft is some type of specialized polymer, which is stronger than a typical carbon fiber. This… this is a custom job." He finished.

"Ollie, I've overheard some officers in the hospital that the police are trying to keep it hush-hush but a second body was found. Nelson Ravich." Sara explained.

"Didn't you take him down last week?" Nyssa scowled.

"Is this guy trying to frame you or call you out?" Diggle tried.

"Either way, we need to find him." Oliver decided as Nyssa examined the arrow.

"I've seen these arrows before. Some of our men use this type."

"So you think that he's from the League?" Oliver asked.

"Or used to be, at least. Or someone with similar training." Nyssa said. "I have my suspicions but I need to be _absolutely_  certain. It's custom made and I think I know who made it."

She went towards the computer and did a search.

"Sagitarrius." Diggle read.

"Latin for ' _archer_ '." Oliver nodded. "Looks like the arrow was a part of a bundle shipment sent to this address."

"I don't like this, Oliver." Nyssa said. "This seemed too easy. It's like he wanted us to find him."

"Either way, we need to look into it." Oliver decided.

* * *

**_Elsewhere in Starling City_ **

The Hood sneaked into the building where he tracked down the arrows. While going into the abandoned room, he saw a black arrow on the floor, when the door behind him suddenly closed, making him realize this was a trap when he heard sounds of circuit shorting out and of something liquid streaming when he turned around and saw a device with tubes attached to it, filling with some kind of liquid while over the machine were sparks going on and off. Wasting no time, he rushed to the door and fired an explosive arrow, blasting his way out right before the machine exploded, turning the building into ruins.

* * *

From a road above, Adrian was watching the Hood with his goggles. "Well, this is interesting…"

* * *

_**Four months ago, Russia** _

_Oliver, Anatoly, Diggle, Nyssa and King entered a small building, where some of the Bratva leaders were talking to a man, accompanied by bodyguards, with a dragon tattoo on his neck as they were arguing._

_"We all want the same thing." The man with the tattoo said. "Peace, prosperity, safe city."_

_"City that is not yours to claim." One of the Bratva leaders protested._

_"I only wish to ensure stability. You've been at each other's throats for trying to take down Kovar and two of your men even betrayed you and were in bed with your sworn enemy." The man said before noticing Oliver, Anatoly and Nyssa. "Oh, I see we have more guests." He approached them and politely shook hand with Oliver, Anatoly and Nyssa. "Ricardo Diaz."_

_"I know who you are." Nyssa sneered. "And you're nothing but a dishonorable lowlife."_

_"I only wish to keep this city safe." Diaz said. "Bratva was unable to keep stability here."_

_"If you want to make this city safe, then work with us." Oliver tried. "Give Bratva the weapons and supplies they need so that they may keep stability and order here."_

_"And give them the opportunity to slaughter each other again?" Diaz smirked. "Remind me what happened with Viktor and Gregor?"_

_Nyssa glared. "I've seen men like you before. "Your words are honeyed but false. You're nothing but a power-hungry liar and a manipulator and scum."_

_"And we did not come to negotiate." Anatoly sneered. "We've come here to tell you to leave our city. Our land."_

_"And leave John King and Mia Dearden alone." Oliver hissed. "You are in no position to lay claim on this city… or his company."_

_Diaz sighed. "Very well. I offered you and Mr. King an olive branch and you spat at my face." He waved his hand up. "Perhaps you'll respond better to lead and blade."_

* * *

**_Present, Queen Manor_ **

"Oliver, are you alright?" Nyssa asked as Oliver was with her at the fireplace, drinking wine.

"It was a trap. Someone went to great lengths to set me up." Oliver sighed. "You were right." Nyssa scowled as he noticed the look in her eyes. "What?"

"I think I know who's behind this. I had my suspicions but I needed to be sure."

"Who?" Oliver demanded.

Then, Sara waved her hand as she gestured upstairs as Oliver followed her to a room, where was Diggle as they pointed at the TV with Sara. On the TV was a woman, clearly terrified, her face stained from makeup wettened by her tears, behind her hostages.

" _Happy holidays, Starling City._ " She read from a paper, apparently forced by her kidnapper. " _For the past three months, this city has been laid siege by a vigilante. But the police have been unable to bring him to justice because they lack the will to do what justice demands. I will kill one hostage every hour in the name of this vigilante until he surrenders himself to my authority._ "

Nyssa whispered something in Arabic, disgusted by what was happening. "Dishonorable scum…"

"Ollie, if someone doesn't do anything, innocent people are gonna die." Sara pleaded.

"The police are on the scene, Oliver, I think you should let them handle this." Diggle protested.

"Dig…" Sara glared.

"Diggle, you know that we've faced more dangerous people than this guy is!" Oliver snapped before storming off.

"If it is, who I think it is, I think Oliver's in over his head." Nyssa growled.

"Look after him. Please." Diggle pleaded.

"I will." Nyssa promised. "As I always have."

* * *

**_Four months ago, Russia_ **

_"Are you threatening us?" Anatoly sneered._

_"Yes." Diaz said bluntly._

_Oliver stepped up. "I'll give you one chance. Walk away. Leave the Bratva, Anatoly, John King and Mia Dearden alone and never come back to Russia. And our paths will never have to cross again. Or, I'm gonna make it my mission to bring you all down, until you're scattered around the world or in body bags."_

_"Or…" Diaz pulled out his gun. "I'll just kill you right where you stand and take what I want either way."_

_Nyssa threw a knife, disarming Diaz as Bratva members and Basilisk mercenaries pulled out their guns, shooting at each other as everyone took cover. Nyssa and Oliver fired from their bows as Diggle started to shoot at the mercenaries too._

_King and Anatoly took cover behind a counter as the Basilisk members retreated._

_"Everyone alright?" Oliver asked._

_They nodded as they looked up nervously before Nyssa looked down to see a tube as she opened it to find a rolled piece of scroll as she opened it and she whispered something in Arabic._

_"What is that?" Oliver asked._

_"I think I know why Basilisk came here." Nyssa said. "They weren't here to take the city."_

_Oliver, Anatoly and Diggle looked at the map. "It's not too far from here." Anatoly said as he looked closely._

_"They came here to look for Well of All." Nyssa explained._

_"A **what**?" Diggle scowled._

_"Something I believed was a myth." Nyssa said. "A pure form of Lazarus pit. If Diaz finds it, he will be unstoppable."_

* * *

**_Present, Starling City_ **

The Hood ziplined into the building, jumping down from upper window, pulling out a flechette and freeing the hostages.

"Where is he?"

"I don't know." One of the hostages cried out, frightened.

"It's gonna be OK, follow me." The Hood ordered as he accompanied the hostages to a stairwell. "Get up on the roof."

"What about…"

"I'll handle him. Move!" The Hood insisted. He walked back down the hall before turning around, facing the mysterious archer.

" _Thank you for coming._ " The Dark Archer said. " _After that warehouse, I knew I had to do something more dramatic to get your attention._ "

"What do you want from me?" The Hood demanded.

" _What any archer wants. To see who's better._ "

They both started a shooting contest, firing at each other and dodging before the Hood made a run to the corridor leading back to the room with the hostages as the Dark Archer followed him, notching an arrow and seeing on the reflection of the shard of a mirror the Hood on a rafter as he spun around, firing and causing for the Hood to drop his bow as he jumped at a hanging light but another arrow hit him in his leg, causing for him to fall as he narrowly dodged another arrow and grabbed his bow from the floor, firing at the Dark Archer, who dodged and hid in the shadows. The Hood scoured the room, only for the Dark Archer to ambush him from the shadows, shooting two arrows at his back and kicking him forward as a wooden wall collapsed and the Hood screamed out in pain. The Dark Archer kicked him again through another wooden wall as the Hood fell on the ground and the Dark Archer twisted his hand, punched him in his face and kicked him relentlessly. " _First Hunt, then Ravich and now you! I know about the List and the man who authored it wants you dead!_ " He kicked the Hood again, knocking him out as he was about to kneel down. " _They call you the Hood. Let's see how…_ "

Before he could reach Oliver's hood, a flying tomahawk crashed against the crate behind the Dark Archer as he looked around frantically. " _If you as much as lay a finger on him, I will kill you right where you stand. I'm surprised you're still wearing our outdated armor, Magician._ " Nyssa called out in Arabic.

" _Does the Demon's Head know that his daughter is aiding a vigilante?_ " Dark Archer goaded.

" _He is very aware, Al Sa-her, although, he grew more concerned when he found out about the list. We've had our suspicions that you have now confirmed. My father will have your head for violating our code of honor._ " Nyssa replied. " _Believe me, killing him is the last thing on this Earth you want to do._ "

The Dark Archer seethed, realizing he needed to retreat as he dropped a small ball on the ground as cloud of dense smoke burst out and he vanished into the shadows.

Nyssa jumped down from above as she approached barely conscious Oliver and carried him on her shoulder out.

* * *

**_Later, Nyssa's penthouse_ **

As Oliver came to, he realized he had bandages around him as Nyssa was rubbing some oil on his chest. "Careful. You need to rest."

"What… where… where is…"

"He escaped." Nyssa explained. "I suspected but now I know for sure."

"What?" Oliver asked.

"The other archer, I know who he is. What I don't know is what is he up to." Nyssa said. "I overheard him. He said that the man, who authored the list wanted you dead. That list was not your father's."

Oliver tensed as the realization dawned onto him. "Which means that there's someone far more dangerous out there than the archer."

"Unless they are one and the same person. I was not sure before but now I know for certain." Nyssa said.

"What do you mean?" Oliver asked as she sighed.

"It's a long story but the man is called Al Sa-Her. That's how I named him, when I first met him, when I was a child." Nyssa explained. "It means " _the Magician_ ". I was fascinated by his magic trick and my father allowed him to train with our teachers in all manner of combat for two years. He was the Demon's Head's horseman. He arrived to deal with the grief over his wife's death. I should have known."

"Who is he?" Oliver demanded.

Nyssa took a breath as she was about to tell him…

* * *

**_Merlyn Global Group_ **

"Thank you for arriving on such short notice." Malcolm said as across him stood a man with a scorpion tattoo on his neck. "I've heard that Oliver Queen and Nyssa al Ghul were a nuisance to you few months ago in Russia."

"They broke me and humiliated me. Only seems fair I did the same thing to them." The man said.

"I wonder though, where did you find your new allies?" Malcolm asked.

"I'm still a resourceful man, despite how much have they broken me. Don't worry, my partners and I will make sure to pay them back in full." The man smirked. "I have a score to settle with them."

"Very well but promise me to be swift, discreet and don't make too much of a mess, Mr. Diaz." Malcolm sighed.

"No promises." Diaz smirked.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Finally, I'm done with the semester in college, so I can focus on writing my stories.
> 
> So, what do you guys think about it?
> 
> Please review and let me know if you are enjoying this so far.


	10. Payback

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> As Oliver is faced with a stunning revelation he needs to resolve, a new enemy exploits an opportunity to enter.
> 
> In flashbacks, Oliver and Nyssa go on a new adventure.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Disclaimer: I do not own DC Comics or the CW TV shows Arrow, The Flash, Legends of Tomorrow or any other characters or elements pertaining to the mentioned franchises.

"Wait, Tommy's Dad is the other archer?" Oliver demanded. "How do you know that?"

"Because I am certain that there is only one member of the League of Assassins in Starling City. And now it all makes sense." Nyssa explained. "Your father and Mr. Merlyn used to be best friends. And Mr. Merlyn arrived to Nanda Parbat after his wife had died."

Oliver paled, it all made sense now. The change in Malcolm's personality after he returned, his cold attitude towards Tommy…

"That notebook wasn't Dad's but Malcolm's." Oliver realized as he picked the list. "My Dad got it from him. That message I found in his office… making alliances with terrible people… about righting his wrongs…"

"I don't know exactly what Mr. Merlyn had been planning with that list but I am sure he was up to no good." Nyssa said.

"So, wait, you're saying that Malcolm Merlyn is a member of the League?" Oliver demanded.

"Used to." Nyssa corrected. "Somehow, Mr. Merlyn had learned about Nanda Parbat and travelled there to channel his grief. I met him, when I was a child and was impressed by his magician tricks, so that's why I gave him the name. Al Sa-her."

" _The Magician_." Oliver realized.

Nyssa nodded. "My father allowed Mr. Merlyn to train under our tutelage in all manner of combat for two years, becoming his horseman. Then, he took pity on Mr. Merlyn and released him from his service."

Oliver sighed. "They were both targeting the criminals and corrupt elite of Starling City. Why? And why does Malcolm want me dead?"

"Your father had already told you that these were not good people." Nyssa pointed out. "And Mr. Merlyn… I honestly have no idea. But whatever he is up to, I will not let him harm you, I promise. My father permitted him to leave under condition that he would follow our code of honor and would not pursue in any actions associated with the League's methods without Ra's permission." She held Oliver's hand.

"So, we need to stop him." Oliver nodded.

* * *

**_Four months ago, Russia_ **

_"Why won't you come home, Mr. Queen?" King asked, not understanding._

_"I need to stop whatever the Basilisk is planning." Oliver explained. "I cannot let them spread chaos here."_

_King nodded. "Well, all I can say is "good luck". You will need it."_

_"You're not coming with us?" Mia asked, sad._

_"I'm sorry." Oliver said sadly as Mia hugged him._

_"I'll miss you."_

_"I'll miss you too, Mia." He fondled her hair as Nyssa held his shoulder._

_"Oliver, we need to hurry."_

* * *

**_Present_ **

A while after Oliver had recovered from his injuries, he pulled out his phone and dialed Tommy's number. "Tommy, where are you right now?"

" _In the club, overseeing the construction. The usual. Why?_ " Tommy asked.

"Has your Dad reached out?" Oliver asked.

" _No, why would he?_ " Tommy asked, confused.

"Tommy, you're not gonna like what I'm gonna tell you."

* * *

**_Verdant_ **

"This is…" Tommy sat down in shock as he covered his mouth.

"I know it's a lot to process, Thomas but it's true."

"I knew he had changed but this…" Tommy whispered.

"Tommy, he may have already figured out who I am because Nyssa intervened." Oliver pleaded. "You need to get Thea, Sara and Laurel somewhere safe where he won't find you."

Tommy nodded. "What are you gonna do? Are you gonna kill him?"

Oliver and Nyssa looked at each other before turning to Tommy again. "Honestly, I don't want to put you through that pain, Thomas but I don't see any other options left." Nyssa said with sincere tone.

Tommy sighed. "Just do what you have to. He may have been my Dad once upon a time but… he's someone entirely different now. Honestly, the father I used to know died with my Mom twenty years ago."

* * *

**_Elsewhere in Starling City_ **

"Don't you think we should contact the League and let your father deal with him?" Oliver asked as Nyssa sighed.

"There's a reason my father released me." Nyssa said. "And once I reach out, I'm afraid I might not be able to leave again. And he might target Tommy for his association with Malcolm by family."

* * *

**_Four months ago, Russia_ **

_"How far is it from here?" Oliver asked._

_"It's in Himalayas." Nyssa said as they entered the plane. "We need to leave now."_

_"I better hope she's worth it, Oliver."_

_For a few minutes, the plane was calmly flying in the sky Anatoly seemed uncomfortable as they heard thunder roar._

* * *

**_Present, Merlyn Global Group_ **

Malcolm was talking on his phone with someone before his instincts turned on. "I'm sorry, I need to go, I'll call you later." He hung up and smirked, while turning around. "Nyssa. Oliver. If you wanted a meeting, you could have called my secretary."

Oliver tensed but it apparently was only a matter of time before Malcolm would figure out that Oliver is the Hood. "Malcolm Merlyn, you have failed this city."

"Whatever you are planning, Magician, it ends here. While you may have been released, you are obligated to report yourself to my father." Nyssa sneered. "You have violated our code of honor and you shall pay for it."

Malcolm raised his hands. "Why fight me, when you and I know that this city needs to be cleansed? The scum that's poisoning our city, needs to be erased from the map."

"Let's start with you." The Hood glared as he fired an arrow but Malcolm dodged and grabbed a sword from a glass case and attacked but Nyssa blocked with her bow and hit Malcolm in the face with her elbow.

Malcolm stumbled back as Nyssa pulled out her dagger but Malcolm jumped back, while she scratched his jacket but didn't cut his flesh. Malcolm dodged as the Hood swung his bow and Malcolm and Nyssa were trading and blocking attacks with bow and sword as he scratched her in the leg as Nyssa hissed and knelt down. Before Malcolm could deliver another blow, Oliver blocked with his bow and tackled Malcolm to the ground.

"Give up. It's over." Oliver growled.

"Never." Malcolm sneered as he punched Oliver and pushed him away. Malcolm was about to deliver a fierce strike but Oliver dodged and spun around, hitting Malcolm in the hip with his bow as Malcolm grunted and Nyssa stabbed Malcolm in the knee as he knelt down before Oliver knocked him down on the floor.

"Yield and my father may show you mercy, when I hand you over to him." Nyssa warned, pointing the tip of her sword at Malcolm's forehead.

"Last chance, Malcolm, give up." Oliver said.

Malcolm snarled as he knocked Nyssa's sword away and tried to lunge at her but Oliver intervened with a flechette in his hand, stabbing Malcolm in his chest as he gulped and fell down as he coughed out blood.

"You think… this… this is over?" Malcolm sneered. "You… have… no idea… what's coming…"

"What are you talking about?" Oliver demanded, grabbing Malcolm by his shirt. "What have you done?"

Malcolm laughed one last time before he drew his last breath and his body collapsed to the floor.

* * *

_**Four months ago** _

_The plane landed in a valley as Oliver sighed. "How far is it from here?"_

_Nyssa pulled out some goggles as she looked at the horizon. "Mr. Queen. Mr. Knyazev. You're about to see something beyond your imagination."_

* * *

**_Present, Queen Manor_ **

"How much was your family involved in this?" Quentin demanded.

"Quentin, please, you need to believe me, my babies had nothing to do with it." Moira pleaded with tears in her eyes. "Malcolm threatened me and he had already sabotaged the Gambit…"

"What happens now?" Oliver asked as he was at the corridor with Adrian and Dinah.

"FBI, SCPD and the District Attorney's office is going through the mainframe of Merlyn Global and apprehending all the people on Malcolm's payroll and anyone associated with the Undertaking and anyone else that was mentioned in the notebook." Dinah said.

"I'll make sure they spend a long time behind bars." Adrian promised.

"Thank you." Oliver shook his hand with Adrian as Dinah went to talk with some of the agents, leaving them in private.

"Just so you know, now you owe me one." Adrian said. "I made sure your mother won't face prison. And you will repay me that favor." Oliver scowled. "Don't worry. It won't be too messy by your standards. But remember. One day, I will collect the debt, Oliver. One day." He left as Oliver narrowed his eyes.

* * *

**_Elsewhere_ **

China White was meeting Diaz and a woman in green kimono as Diaz smirked.

"Well, it seems Oliver has created a power vacuum we can exploit."

"Soon enough, this will be our town to control." Jade smirked.

"Before that, we need to get rid of Oliver Queen and that assassin bitch, once and for all." Diaz said.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Didn't think I'd get rid of Malcolm this early, did you? All I'll say is that I have other plans in this story.
> 
> So, what do you guys think about it?
> 
> Please review and let me know if you are enjoying this so far.


	11. New Players in Town

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> With Malcolm's demise, new enemies decide to take an opportunity in Starling City.
> 
> In flashbacks, on a journey to stop Diaz, Nyssa has an unexpected reunion.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Disclaimer: I do not own DC Comics or the CW TV shows Arrow, The Flash, Legends of Tomorrow or any other characters or elements pertaining to the mentioned franchises.

"So, Al Sa-her violated our code of honor by this… Undertaking." Ra's al Ghul said as Oliver and Nyssa knelt before him as he visited them in their penthouse.

"By not asking for your permission in conducting this undertaking and willing to target hundreds of innocent lives as collateral damage as a matter of personal vendetta for his belief that the Glades have failed his wife." Nyssa nodded.

"You do realize that by our code, I am obliged to…"

"Thomas Merlyn had no prior knowledge of this… Undertaking and once he learned of it, he was sickened by the Magician's intentions and opposed them." Nyssa said.

"Therefore, I would like to ask you as a favor to spare his life." Oliver pleaded as Ra's stared, considering.

"Very well. The blood debt of Thomas Merlyn shall be therefore erased." Ra's said. "But the next time you seek an audience with me, I  _will_  demand a token in return, Mr. Queen. Remember that. This is the last time I will let you walk away with no repayment."

Oliver nodded as Ra's left. "That went better than I had expected."

"Considering the circumstances, I concur." Nyssa nodded. "What happens now?"

* * *

**_Queen Manor_ **

Thea was alone in the living room, watching the news as Oliver entered, while she stared in shock.

" _It has been two weeks since the death of Malcolm Merlyn, CEO of Merlyn Global Group at the hands of the vigilante known as the Hood and another unknown female vigilante and his son, Thomas Merlyn, has finished cooperating with the police and the FBI regarding his father's and his company's involvement in the so-called Undertaking. However, Moira Queen is still currently under investigation, according to our sources, she has been participating in this Undertaking for the past five years under the threat upon her family after Malcolm Merlyn ordered the Queen's Gambit to be sabotaged…_ "

"I can't believe Tommy's Dad was so…"

"No one could have seen it coming." Oliver assured her as he held her shoulder.

"Do you think Dad… was…"

"No." Oliver shook his head. "Dad was  _nothing_  like Malcolm. He may have had his mistakes but… he wasn't a monster. Despite everything, he loved us. Tommy's Dad… I know he had changed but… I guess no one had any idea how much."

"How's Tommy doing?" Thea turned to him. "I mean, regarding the Hood killing his Dad. He may have been a monster but still…"

Oliver sighed. "I don't know. But… I think Tommy thinks that the father he remembers, died with his mother."

"I don't want this happen to our family, Ollie. All that darkness upon us… how it might change us…" Thea said, looking a bit frightened.

"I'll always look out for you." Oliver hugged her tightly.

* * *

**_Four months ago_ **

_Oliver, Nyssa and Anatoly were walking down the mountain path as they followed the map. "What exactly is this place?" Oliver asked._

_"An ancient place from time long past. I've heard stories about it, when I was a child. Wanted to train here one day." Nyssa said. "There should be a village nearby, if I recall."_

_They kept on going before Anatoly pulled out some goggles and looked down and swore._

_"What?" Oliver asked._

_"Look." Anatoly handed him goggles as Oliver looked down at the village and saw the mercenaries threaten some villagers._

_"Basilisk."_

_"They must be interrogating the villagers for information." Nyssa realized._

_"Well, we can't let them kill those people." Oliver pointed out._

_"Agreed." Nyssa nodded. "Though I suggest not to run in blindly, that would get us all killed."_

* * *

**_Present, the Glades_ **

Roy and Sin were hanging out with some people in an alley as someone suddenly started to rant and run around.

"Oh, I've never felt so powerful before! Who-hoo!"

"What the hell…" Sin stared.

"Hey." Roy stepped up. "I think you need to chill out."

He grabbed the guy by his shoulder, when the guy shoved Roy back and pulled out a gun as everyone backed off in horror.

"Damn, he's got a heater!"

"Back, everybody back! Run!"

On instinct, Roy grabbed his arm and knocked him down before knocking him out as Sin approached him. "Roy, you OK?"

"Yeah." Roy nodded. "It's like if he was out of it."

"Like on drugs." Sin nodded as Roy picked from the guy's pocket a plastic bag full of green pills as Roy and Sin widened their eyes. "Roy, tell me that's not what I think it is."

Roy glared and seethed. "I gotta make a call."

* * *

**_Four months ago_ **

_"Tell us where is the Well of All and we will leave you be." The mercenary leader demanded._

_"It's a myth. We know **nothing** about it." One of the villagers said._

_The mercenary leader shot the villager in the head. "Lying will get you nowhere. Tell us what we want to know or blood will be shed!"_

_Oliver glared, while Nyssa sighed. "It's not too different from our methods of interrogation, though mass slaughter for gathering information is more of a last resort."_

_"We can't let them kill those people."_

_"Oliver, there's too many of them." Anatoly protested. "Even with the Bratva people with us…" He glanced towards his crew behind him. "…we don't stand a chance."_

_"Just have to be smart about this." Oliver said as he looked around. "An ambush might work."_

_"I like how you think, Oliver." Nyssa smirked as she and Oliver climbed on tree, while Anatoly's men were sneaking in the shadows before Oliver jumped at a mercenary down from above and stabbed him in the head as Nyssa jumped down at another one and snapped his neck, while Anatoly's men were either choking the mercenaries from behind or stabbing them lethally in order not to alert other Basilisk mercenaries._

_"Well… I guess we're gonna have to do this another way." The leading mercenary said as he waved his hand but nothing happened as he looked confused before he turned around to face Oliver in his green hood._

_"Where's Diaz?!" Oliver snarled as he grabbed the mercenary by his throat._

_"I won't break." The mercenary choked out._

_"Yes, you will." Oliver drove an arrow through his shoulder. "Where is he?!"_

_The mercenary screamed out in pain as Oliver twisted the arrow. "I'll never…"_

_"Stop!" One of the villager intervened. "There's no point in torturing him. The man you seek is already gone and I think I know where he went. He took a map that would lead him to the well."_

_"And we cannot let him take it, do we?" A familiar female voice with Eastern accent said as Oliver and Nyssa whirled around as Oliver stared in disbelief, while Nyssa glared with contempt. "Hello, sister. It's been a long time."_

* * *

**_Present, Verdant_ **

Oliver and Nyssa were helping supervise the construction of the club.

"Thomas has more experience with this than you, does he?" Nyssa asked.

"Maybe." Oliver nodded. "Still, there's no reason to…"

Diggle then went out from the stockroom. "Mr. Queen. Mr. Harper has requested an appointment with you."

* * *

_**Roy's house, the Glades** _

"It's called Vertigo." Roy explained as he showed Oliver the packet of pills.

"I've heard of it." Oliver nodded. "You've used it before?"

"I may have a crappy life but I would never do drugs." Roy said firmly. "This stuff has been rolling around for a while now. Last night, I saw a dude so out of it while on that and he almost shot someone. You told me to call you if something in the Glades was…"

"You did the right thing." Oliver nodded. "Do you know anything that could help us? Who's selling it? Who's the manufacturer?"

"I don't know much." Roy shrugged. "But the word around the street is that the guy behind it calls himself the Count."

"And is that all you know?" Nyssa asked.

"I could ask around in the streets, see if I can find out more." Roy tried.

Oliver nodded before considering. "You may want to keep a low profile, though. Don't ask too many people and don't attract too much attention to yourself. If you get on this… Count's radar…"

"I'm as good as dead." Roy finished, nodding in understanding. "I've grown up in the Glades, I know how it works."

"Just… if you find out anything useful, a lead or something, call us." Oliver said. "We'll take it from there."

* * *

**_District Attorney's office_ **

Adrian was at his desk, working on a case before he felt knocking on his desk as he looked up as he smiled. "Hey."

"Hi." Dinah smiled. "Forgot about the lunch today?"

Adrian looked at his watch. "Oh. Yeah, just give me a sec, I've got some paperwork to do."

"Vertigo?" Dinah looked at the file. "Man, I've heard that it's been quite a bitch."

"Yeah. Most dealers I flipped did spill out the name." Adrian sneered.

"The Count." Dinah nodded.

"But no one cracks about where he is because they're too afraid to say more."

* * *

**_The Glades_ **

Roy was walking down the street before he bumped into someone and gapped. "Sorry, I…"

"Roy." He raised his head and recognized the voice.

"Jade."

"It's been a while."

"Yeah, how's it going?" Roy asked.

"I'm actually working on a new investment here in the Glades. Maybe you could help?" Jade asked as Roy smiled.

"I guess it can't hurt."

* * *

Roy followed Jade into some abandoned warehouse, where he met a man with a scorpion tattoo on his neck. "Well, what do we have here?"

"Jade said you're looking for some people to help you with an investment. I was curious." Roy said.

"Indeed. Interested?" The man nodded.

"Depends on the job." Roy said. "Well, some money for me to be able to pay my bills would not hurt."

"Then you came to the right place…" The man paused.

"Roy."

"Ricardo Diaz." He shook hands with him.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> So, what do you guys think about it?
> 
> Please review and let me know if you are enjoying this so far.


	12. Wolf in Sheeps' Cloth

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> While undercover for Oliver, Roy puts himself at risk by putting blind trust.
> 
> Meanwhile, Adrian goes on pursuit for vengeance.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Disclaimer: I do not own DC Comics or the CW TV shows Arrow, The Flash, Legends of Tomorrow or any other characters or elements pertaining to the mentioned franchises.

Roy was helping with the crates full of drugs into the stockroom before he quietly snuck past the guards and workers, eavesdropping on Diaz and his men and a woman with stark white hair.

"Queen and that assassin bitch have been a pain in the ass for far too long. They alongside with their Bratva buddies really pissed me off back in Russia." Diaz said. "But, from what I've heard, the Bratva leader here in Starling is… a little more flexible. Maybe we can turn him over to our side, with… a little cut for him… and if he tells us anything he can, so we can get back at Queen. Bring the next shipment of materials to that juvenile center for the Count and make sure he gives us a large cut or he will see the consequences. And don't worry about Queen. I know  _exactly_  which buttons I need to push."

Roy's blood ran cold as he quickly tried to return back to work before anyone would notice him. But what he didn't know was that Jade was observing him discreetly, wondering what was with Roy…

* * *

Roy was trying to act normally as he seemed to be moving barrels with chemicals until Jade snuck up on him as he looked startled.

"What you doing?"

"Just my job." Roy said quickly.

"Roy, you look a little edgy today." Jade said, measuring him with her gaze. "Is everything alright?"

"Yeah, yeah, I… sorry, it's just a lot of pressure, nothing more."

"Don't worry, I'll make sure Diaz lays off of you if he thinks you're too slow." Jade promised.

"Thanks." Roy said, trying to finish his job as quickly as possible, so he could get the hell out and warn Oliver.

* * *

**_Queen Consolidated_ **

"Walter, I can't accept this position." Oliver told him as they were talking in the office.

"I know your opinion on leading the Queen Consolidated but considering the blowback with the Undertaking and your parents' involvement, someone from your family needs to make sure that you and Thea are not dragged through the mud. You don't need to become an executive in the company but at the very least, an acknowledgement from the Queens' children about ignorance of your parents' involvement of the Undertaking would be crucial for the PR." Walter tried to reason. "It would not be for too long. As soon as it blows over, you are free to retract your involvement in the company." He said as Oliver considered, acknowledging his point. "Do it for your parents at least, otherwise someone might try to take over the company and dismantle it from the inside and thousands of employees will have lost their jobs."

Oliver eventually nodded. "OK. Until the issues regarding the Undertaking are resolved, I will keep my appearances."

"Thank you, Oliver." Walter said, shaking his hand with him. "I know we may not always see eye-to-eye…"

"But you were a good friend of my Dad." Oliver smiled. "Maybe it's time I start treat you the same way too."

"I expect nothing more of you." Walter said with grateful smile.

* * *

**_Three years ago, New York_ **

_Adrian was at the graves as he knelt down and put his hand on the grave, wiping his eye before a woman with long blonde hair approached him. "Adrian…"_

_"Hey, Dinah." Adrian said._

_"Look, I'm worried, OK? You need to let someone in. Don't shut everyone out. The D.A. called the bureau. You've been buried in work for weeks. You barely sleep…"_

_"Dinah, I need to understand what happened." Adrian said._

_"I get that." Dinah nodded as she laid her hand on his shoulder. "But… you can't change what happened. You can't save them. I know it's hard… but sometimes it's best to let go."_

_"I can't do that, Di." Adrian sighed. "I need to know why."_

_"If you go down this path, you'll be putting yourself at risk." Dinah pleaded._

_"I've got nothing left to lose." Adrian growled as he got up._

_"You have me." Dinah pleaded as he turned to her and sighed._

_"You've been a good friend to me and my family. But like you said… sometimes it's best to let go." Adrian said before walking away as Dinah looked at him in sadness and pity._

* * *

**_One year ago_ **

_A man was hung up upside down as below him was a sink, filling with water, that was slowly reaching to his nose, threatening to drown him as in front of him was a man with black mask and goggles._

_"Two years ago. Shootout and gang war in Central Park." Vigilante demanded. "Innocent people got caught in crossfire. Who and why were they killing each other?"_

_"I… I don't know, OK?" The thug said, frightened._

_"Don't give me that crap. I know that some of your men were on D.A.'s radar and that you wanted to make sure no one would prosecute you, so you killed the leading prosecutors' family. On whose orders? Tell me or drown, or, the blood going to your brain, while you're upside down is going to eventually create a blood clot that will eventually kill you."_

_"I don't know, I swear!" The thug said as Vigilante was slowly turning around. "OK, OK, someone tipped us off that some lawyer from D.A.'s office was onto us. They said they would take care of it. Provoke other gangs to slaughter each other."_

_"Who?"_

_"I don't know names, but they call themselves Basilisk or whatever! Said that they would take care of everything and none would be the wiser! Provoke the shootout in Central Park!"_

_"Where are they now?" Vigilante demanded._

_"Last I heard, they had plans for Russia and Starling City and I never saw them again, that's all I know, I swear!"_

_Vigilante cut the man loose. "Leave town, set your life straight and I better not see your ugly mug again, because if I do, you're a dead man."_

_The thug nodded frantically before running away._

* * *

_Adrian was packing his things in his apartment before someone entered, to Adrian's surprise, his old friend. "Jacob?"_

_"Hello, Adrian. I've heard about a vigilante in this town and Aiden Holloway. Didn't take too long to put it together."_

_"Jacob, I can explain…"_

_"Doing this vigilante mess is gonna get you killed." Jacob pleaded. "And Doris would not want that."_

_"She would want to live." Adrian snapped as he picked up his bag. "Either help me or stay out of my way."_

_Jacob sighed. "I can't stop you. But I can only ask you to be careful."_

_Adrian nodded. "Anything else?"_

_Jacob pulled out a folder. "Everything I have on this… Basilisk."_

* * *

_**Starling City** _

_Adrian was entering the building as he approached a woman at the desk. "I'm here looking for a job."_

_"Ah, you must be our new employee." The woman got up, smiling as they shook hands. "District Attorney Kate Spencer."_

_"Adrian Chase."_

* * *

**_Present, the Glades_ **

Diaz's enforcers were handing over to the workers, Roy included, envelopes full of cash. "Here's your payment for tonight's shift. You did good. Boss expects you to do well tomorrow as well. Anyone, who does not show up and does not have a valid reason for it, I'll gut them like a fish."

Roy paled, not wanting to imagine how painful it might be as he picked his payment and tried to get the hell out as soon as possible, not knowing that Jade was following him.

* * *

**_Elsewhere in Starling City_ **

Thea was at the bar as the bartender noticed the look on her face. "Are you alright?"

"Yeah." Thea sighed. "It's just… this mess with my parents and I've got a lot on my mind."

"Don't worry. A drink will flush the worries out." The bartender said.

"No, I…" Thea declined, considering her attitude so far. "No alcohol. I'm still underage."

"No alcohol in this, I promise." The woman said as she handed Thea the glass as Thea sighed. "OK, then. To no more doubts." She toasted, drinking as China White, in disguise as the bartender, smirked.

* * *

Later, Thea went out before she felt dizzy, stumbling before she collapsed to the ground.

* * *

**_District Attorney's office_ **

"You know, last time you called me, my friend Aiden was killed because of your crime-fighting spree." Jacob said as he was in Adrian's office.

"I need something solid on Vertigo and Basilisk." Adrian demanded. "Do you have something?"

Jacob pulled out a file as he put it on his desk. "Jade Nguyen and Ricardo Diaz. You might remember the former from a few months back, when you blew up that meth lab."

"What about them?" Adrian asked.

"They joined forces with China White. A top assassin from the Chinese Triad." Jacob explained. "Apparently, this Hood created a power vacuum after Merlyn's demise they want to exploit."

"Like hell they are." Adrian growled. "What else is there?"

"East side of the Glades. That's where they convene." Jacob explained before looking at Adrian grimly. "If you get caught, you're on your own."

Adrian nodded before looking at him. "Anything on who provoked those gangs that killed my family?"

"No names. But they told me they were approached by this… Basilisk." Jacob shrugged.

"Either they tell me or I will burn this Basilisk to the ground." Adrian growled.

* * *

**_The Glades_ **

Roy was in an alley before a black car showed up as Diggle went out. "You have something?"

"Yeah." Roy nodded. "They supply the materials to the Count in the abandoned juvenile center. That's where they produce it."

"Thanks, Roy." Diggle nodded before noticing how freaked out Roy looked. "Is everything OK?"

"This guy who's working for the Count, he's planning to hit you all. You, Queen and his girlfriend, he knows everything about you." Roy said quickly. "He plans to take you all out soon and he's working with the Triad."

"What's his name?" Diggle asked.

"Ricardo Diaz." Roy said and Diggle's face turned grim. "What? You know him?"

"Roy, stay as far away from Diaz as possible and don't do anything stupid and rash." Diggle said. "He's not a fool, if he finds out you're our mole, he's gonna kill you."

"Wait, how do you…"

"Roy, I don't have time for explanation but if they catch you, you're dead. You need to be careful." Roy nodded, considering Diggle was serious. "Disappear, law low, be invisible and try to stay the hell away from his goons as possible and act casually."

Roy nodded as Diggle entered his car and drove away.

* * *

Roy was in his house, pulling out his envelope of money before he turned around and noticed Jade at the desk. "Hey, Roy."

"Hi." Roy smiled. "How did you find me?"

"Can't a girl visit the noble hero, who saved my life?" Jade teased as she neared him, pulling the zip on her dress, revealing her features as Roy looked uncomfortable.

"Well, Jade, I…" Jade gave him a passionate kiss as Roy looked surprised for a moment but eventually gave in as they laid down on bed.

* * *

Roy and Jade were in bed as Jade pulled the sheet to cover her breasts as Roy gently ran his fingers down her back as she laughed. "Well, this wasn't as bad as I thought."

"Guess so." Roy smiled. "Well, as a ' _thank you_ ' for saving your life, I enjoyed it. But… did it mean something more?"

Jade considered. "Roy, I don't want to make things between us complicated. I am a professional in my job. That means I need to have single-minded focus and integrity." She turned to him with a dark look on her face. "Neither of which you apparently have."

Roy looked confused before she jammed a syringe in his neck and everything faded to black.

* * *

As Roy came to, everything was blur before he looked around to see he was in a dark room and in front of him was Diaz and his thugs and he was restrained to a chair. "What… what the hell is this?"

Diaz glared at Roy with a stone cold expression. "Well, Mr. Harper, I am disappointed. I need to look after my sheep and I can't tolerate a wolf in sheep's clothing. And you are the wolf."

Roy looked confused. "What… Mr. Diaz, I don't know…"

Diaz sighed. "When Jade introduced you, I thought you as another kiddo with some money he would need. But… you and Oliver Queen, who would have thought."

Roy realized what happened before turning to Jade, disappointed. "Jade… why?"

"It's nothing personal, Roy." Jade said sincerely. "But we can't afford traitors in our midst."

Diaz pulled out a gun as he aimed at Roy's head. "What did you tell Queen?"

"Nothing." Roy lied.

Diaz smirked. "I don't believe you."

"I swear, nothing!" Roy shouted.

Diaz sighed as he clicked the safety, when suddenly, the walls were pierced by bullets as debris flied around and everyone took cover as Vigilante burst in and an explosion followed and all hell broke loose.

 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> So, what do you guys think about it?
> 
> Please review and let me know if you are enjoying this so far.


	13. Runaway

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> After an unpleasent experience, Roy decides to help Oliver in his crusade full-time. Adrian discovers that Diaz's reach is greater than they had thought as Diaz targets Oliver's loved ones.
> 
> In flashbacks, Oliver and Nyssa discover what Talia might be after.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Disclaimer: I do not own DC Comics or the CW TV shows Arrow, The Flash, Legends of Tomorrow or any other characters or elements pertaining to the mentioned franchises.

Some of the thugs were shot down as Vigilante opened fire, while Diaz and Jade took cover. Diaz pulled out his gun and fired but his bullets did not penetrate his armor as Vigilante again fired from his machine gun as Diaz took cover.

"That son of a bitch helped Queen and that assassin burn down my meth lab!" Jade snarled.

"Kill that bastard!" Diaz shouted as his men entered. As Vigilante was reloading, one of the thugs attacked with a crowbar but Vigilante used his gun to block and whacked him in the head with the butt of his rifle and knocked him down before another one attacked with a knife. Vigilante dodged and grabbed him by his arm, breaking it before he threw him against a pillar.

"We need to move." Jade suggested as Diaz holstered his gun.

"Clear out our stash! Nothing gets confiscated! Go!" Diaz ordered.

An explosion followed, knocking Diaz, Jade and Roy to the floor as Vigilante fired from a grenade launcher attached to his rifle. Roy freed himself from the restraints and luckily for him, he was separated by the debris from Diaz and Jade. Roy decided to take cover, hoping that none of the thugs would notice him and waited before Diaz and Jade ran.

"When we finish off Queen's sister, the Lances are next on our list." Diaz promised as Roy's blood ran cold. He had to move out and warn Oliver.

Roy grabbed a jacket from a dead thug and started to run like hell as Vigilante was shooting down the thugs, kneecapping most of them and killing those, who did not stand down.

Outside, Roy was looking for a way out and saw a car as he smashed the window and unlocked the door and entered, trying to wire the car before he noticed a gun to his temple as one of the thugs was aiming at him. "End of the line, rat."

Suddenly, a gunshot rang out as he fell down and Roy stared in disbelief to see Jade behind the thug, who collapsed down on the pavement, dead.

"You better get out of here, Roy."

"Jade…" Roy whispered, not understanding.

"You saved my life. I repaid the favor. Nothing more." Jade said simply. "Run, while you still can, Roy and pray that our paths won't cross again and stay away from Oliver Queen. It will only end badly for you."

Roy stared at Jade for a moment before he drove away as Jade sighed. Jade may not be a good person but she had a sense of honor.

* * *

The warehouse was shot down, burning, with debris around and bullet holes in the walls as some of the thugs were dead and most of them severely injured as Vigilante picked up one of the thugs on his feet.

"Who's running your operation? Where can I find the source of Vertigo?"

"Screw you." The thug sneered as Vigilante glared, slamming him to the ground.

"Wrong answer. Talk before I make you."

"I won't break." The thug snapped.

"But your bones will." Vigilante grabbed his arm and applied pressure to the elbow with his hand as the arm slowly cracked as the thug groaned.

"I'm not telling you anything."

"Then you'll spend the rest of your life in body cast. Or, tell me what I want to know and I might stop." Vigilante sneered as he started to twist the thug's elbow.

The thug hissed in pain. "OK, Diaz! Ricardo Diaz! Just stop!"

Vigilante let go of his arm. "Leave and I better not see your ugly mug again, or you're a dead man."

He turned around and was about to leave before the thug grabbed a nearby piece of rebar and jammed it in Vigilante's shoulder from behind as Vigilante screamed. Vigilante whirled around and grabbed the thug, throwing him across the hall before into the building burst in Dinah, with an aimed gun.

"FBI! Hands where I can see them, now!" Dinah yelled. Vigilante froze at seeing Dinah before the thug aimed his gun at Dinah but Vigilante shot him down from behind, to Dinah's surprise. But she quickly recovered from the shock as she aimed her gun at Vigilante. "Don't move. You're under arrest."

Vigilante stared at Dinah for a moment. "I've come too far to let you stop me." He rushed towards a window as Dinah fired but he jumped out and fell into the river as Dinah ran towards the window and looked down.

"Damn it."

* * *

_**Elsewhere** _

The Hood entered the abandoned juvenile center through the window, zip-lining with an arrow as he descended before he took down two thugs. The Hood went upstairs as another thug rushed at him but the Hood threw him down the stairs, knocking him out.

* * *

"He's here!" A thug with a submachine gun yelled.

"He  _who_?" The Count asked, standing on a metal table.

"The Hood!" The thug shouted as on cue, another guard fell down from above on a shelf, then hitting the floor as the workers ran.

The thug with a SMG fired but the Hood dodged and fired an arrow, hitting him in the shoulder as he fell down before he slammed another thug against a glass table that shattered.

"You should have stayed with your depraved elite." The Count sneered. "I am merely providing people what they want. I'm providing a public service!"

"So am I." The Hood growled as he fired another arrow, disarming the Count of his double syringe. The Hood rushed at the Count, twisting his hand and disarming him of his gun before he grabbed the Count by his throat. "Where's Diaz?!"

The Count paled as the Hood said Diaz's name. "How do you…"

"Freeze!" Quentin yelled as he and more policemen burst in, aiming their guns. "Put down the needle or I will shoot you!"

The Hood seethed before he threw the Count towards a glass cabinet full of Vertigo syringes and grabbed a smoke pellet from his belt, dropping it down as a cloud of smoke burst out as it concealed his escape, leaving Quentin and the police with overdosed Count, with two syringes stuck to his chest.

* * *

_**Later, Starling General** _

Sara was working her shift in the hospital before her pager bleeped and she tensed upon looking at the patients list as she dialed Oliver's number.

* * *

Oliver, Diggle and Nyssa entered the hospital as Sara was at the corridor before he noticed Thea in a room, on a stretcher with a drip attached to her vein. "Sara, what happened?"

Sara sighed. "This evening, they found Thea passed out outside a bar in downtown. They called 9-1-1 and brought her here. We ran tox screen and the results are positive for Vertigo."

Oliver tensed. "Sara, you're not suggesting…"

"I'm only stating the facts, Ollie." Sara calmed him down as she held his hand. "I don't want to believe it either."

"Is she gonna…"

"She needs to stay here at least for tonight for the drug to wear off and to give a statement to Dad and Hilton. I think all she needs is a few days of rest." Sara explained.

Oliver nodded as he smiled. "Thank you."

* * *

**_Four months ago, Himalayas_ **

_Oliver noticed how heated stares were Nyssa and Talia exchanging, realizing that they probably weren't very close._

_"You don't want the Basilisk to take the Well of All." Talia explained. "Well, I have spent some of my time guarding it."_

_"Or maybe you want it for itself." Nyssa sneered. "It was your selfishness that forced me to grow up alone, sister, letting me suffer at my father's hand."_

_"And you wish to settle the score now?" Talia taunted._

_"I will. But now there is more at stakes." Nyssa said._

_"I'm guessing you are not very close?" Oliver deadpanned._

_"Always at the center of the storm, are you, Oliver?" Talia smiled. "I will help you. I know a shortcut."_

* * *

**_Present, outside Verdant_ **

Roy was waiting in an alley before Oliver showed up. "You said it was urgent. What happened?"

Roy turned to him, freaked out. "I've been made. Diaz knows I'm the mole. And he's gunning for you. All of you. Your sister, Laurel, everyone. They caught me and wanted to interrogate me but then, another vigilante, the one that blew up the meth lab few months back, he showed up and blew the place to hell. I was lucky to escape."

"A vigilante? Mask, orange goggles, body armor, a machine gun with an attached grenade launcher?" Oliver demanded as Roy nodded.

"Hey, Diaz is planning something big and he wants to take you all out of the equation." Roy said quickly. "And he's most likely gunning for me too now. I don't want to wait for him to show up and slit my throat in my sleep. I want in full-time."

"What?" Oliver demanded, not sure he understood Roy.

"I want in on your vigilante gig. As a partner. Teach me." Roy begged. "I grew up in the Glades and now Diaz is turning it into his playground. No way in hell I'm letting that happen. I want to take him out. No matter what it takes. They know who I am and they know where I live. I'd rather die fighting than live on the run forever."

Oliver stared at Roy in consideration. "Roy, are you sure about this? This is a dangerous life and…"

"I've got nothing to lose." Roy snapped. "My whole life, I've been out for myself because I got no other choice left. You've been making this city a better place. I want to help any way I can. I mean, if I'm gonna die, at least I want to go out while doing the right thing."

Oliver looked at Roy's stubbornness, he reminded him of Oliver, while he was away as Oliver sighed. "Next Tuesday in the noon. Warehouse 52 by the docks. We'll start training. But I'm warning you, it's not going to be walk in the park and you'll spill a lot of blood, sweat and tears. Last chance, Roy."

"Pain is nothing new to me." Roy said firmly, remembering the loss of his parents.

"Well, there are always new ways to cause pain." Oliver warned. "Be ready. And move as much of your things as you need from your place and move into my penthouse in downtown." He gave Roy an address as Roy nodded.

* * *

**_Four months ago, Himalayas_ **

_"Oliver, you can't trust her." Anatoly pleaded as Oliver and Nyssa turned to her._

_"I know that." Nyssa nodded. "That's why I'm coming with him."_

_"Don't worry about me, Anatoly. Just go back to Russia and let me handle Diaz and Basilisk." Oliver pleaded._

_Nyssa and Oliver followed Talia to a secret tunnel. "You left me suffer at my father's hand, forcing me to grow up alone."_

_"If you knew father, you would know that he never would have passed his mantle onto a woman." Talia said coldly. "I had to forge my own path."_

_"Then, who would he choose as his successor, then, if not us? Who would be chosen by this prophecy?" Nyssa demanded._

_"That day may never come." Talia sighed. "And the pit in Nanda Parbat will lose its potency on father soon enough. That's why he may search for another pit. And that's why I came to protect it."_

_As they left the tunnel, they were in some kind of an ancient city._

_"Welcome to Acres of All." Talia said as they were suddenly surrounded by men with spears and bows and notched arrows._

* * *

**_Present, Starling City_ **

Adrian and Dinah were in a park, having lunch as they both ate their burgers. "Man, this is good." Dinah smiled.

"This was a good idea." Adrian smiled before into him bumped someone as he hissed.

"Sorry." The man said.

"It's OK." Adrian assured the passerby as he grinned.

"Are you OK?" Dinah asked as she noticed Adrian's face twitching.

"Yeah, I'm fine. Really." Adrian assured her before there was a red stain forming on his shoulder on his shirt.

"You're bleeding." Dinah said, worried.

"I'm fine, Di. Really." Adrian said as he pressed on his jacket to stop the bleeding as Dinah then got a flashback from the last night, seeing Vigilante being stabbed in the shoulder by a rebar, making her wonder, was Adrian… ' _No. It's a coincidence. Must be. Adrian is not Vigilante._ ' She thought in denial.

Then, she smiled. "Remember David Drayson?"

"Dave?" Adrian laughed. "Last I heard, he was doing parking tickets in Philly."

"Moved up in the world." Dinah smiled. "Private contractor now, he actually helps the law enforcement with providing equipment, since the Hood and that other archer are responsible for taking out some of the major providers. We wouldn't have been able to find the Count without him."

* * *

**_SCPD_ **

Later, Adrian was outside the precinct, in his car, eavesdropping as he planted a bug in an interrogation room.

* * *

One of the thugs that the police and FBI had apprehended, was cuffed to a table as two detectives approached him.

"We caught you at the scene, with a tons of supplies for manufacturing Vertigo drug."

"Do you have any idea how long will that land you in prison?"

"Give us a name and we might sweeten the pot."

"I can't." The thug begged.

"Well, then, enjoy your next 25 behind bars." The detectives were about to leave as the thug sighed.

"OK. I know a name."

"This better be worth it." The detective said.

"It is." The thug nodded. "No one who knows that name is even supposed to say it."

"Well, tell us. We might protect you." The other detective promised.

"I'll tell you everything I know if I get complete immunity." The thug pleaded.

"Don't keep us in suspense. Tell us." The first cop smiled as the thug took a breath.

"His name… is Ricardo Diaz."

* * *

" _His name… is Ricardo Diaz._ " Adrian listened with his earpiece.

* * *

In the interrogation room, the two cops looked at each other before sighing. "Your turn or mine?"

"I covered for you last time in the Glades."

"Right." The first cop uncuffed the thug and handed him his pistol before the other cop punched his partner in his face as he groaned.

"Damn it, he grabbed my gun!"

"Don't move or I'll take you out!"

"What are you doing?" The thug demanded.

"You were right." The detective said. "You're not supposed to say that name."

The thug paled, realizing he was set up as a gunshot rang out.

* * *

Adrian pulled out his headphones as he heard the gunshot and seethed, realizing that whoever this Diaz was, he obviously had some policemen on his payroll.

* * *

"What happened?" Pike demanded as he entered.

"We were about to free that little punk, when he tried to go for my gun." The detective explained.

"Son of a bitch." Pike whispered as he looked at the dead thug on the floor.

* * *

_**Elsewhere** _

"So, the great Adrian Chase is now working as an Assistant District Attorney in Starling City and helping clean up the corruption." David smiled as he was having dinner with Adrian, Jacob and Dinah in a restaurant. "How ambitious."

"Well, last month, we've noticed how corrupt the police force was and how many people were in the pocket of the Starling's elite but thanks to the archer, it's all under control finally." Adrian smiled before his phone rang as he answered the call. "Yes, Laurel?" Then, he tensed. "What? I see." He hung up.

"What happened?" Dinah asked.

"One of the guy who was supposed to tell us information about the suppliers of Vertigo is dead. He tried to attack one of the cops interrogating him and they killed him." Adrian said in anger, which wasn't that much feigned, considering that he knew  _that was not_  how it went down.

* * *

"David has done better since the last time we saw him." Jacob smiled at Adrian as they were talking in private. "Is everything OK?"

"No. It isn't." Adrian seethed. "I'm pretty sure that Diaz has some of the cops on his payroll."

Unknowing to him, Dinah was eavesdropping around the corner as she tensed, not wanting to believe that Adrian was Vigilante but more and more facts kept piling up.

* * *

_**Later, outside SCPD** _

One of the cops that had interrogated the Vertigo thug before they killed him, went out before he was pinned to the hood of his car by Vigilante, who grabbed him by his throat.

"You as much as scream and I'll crush your windpipe. Understood?" Vigilante demanded as the cop nodded as Vigilante let him go. "Why did you kill that guy back in the interrogation room?"

"What…" The cop groaned. "He attacked my partner and I had to act in…"

The cop screamed as Vigilante twisted his wrist, while bones cracked. "Lie. Not smart. It will end painfully for you if you keep lying. You killed him because he said a name. Ricardo Diaz! Who is he?!"

"I don't know what are you talk…" Vigilante applied pressure to the wrist as the cop screamed. "OK, OK. Look, I don't know much about this guy. But he has power, money… last month, after Merlyn was gone, he showed up with his men. Targeting lawyers, cops, you name it. Had everything on us. Rap sheets, families, sick friends. He offered some of them money for healthcare, some of them were in his gunsight. For their safety, they listen to him. In exchange, no one says his name if he wants to live. No one. Diaz likes to be a ghost. God knows how many people are in his pocket, there's no telling how deep this goes. I went in because he knows about my sick wife."

Vigilante let him go. "Where can I find him?"

"I don't know. I swear. I never even saw his face. Like I said, he likes to be a ghost." The cop explained. "Diaz will know I talked. He has eyes and ears on many places. Death by him will not be quick. Please. I deserve that much mercy." He begged.

Vigilante glared, seething. "No. You don't." He punched the cop in his face, knocking him out cold.

* * *

_**Starling General** _

Sara was in the hospital, working her shift before she went down a corridor and bumped into another doctor. "I'm so sorry."

"No, I wasn't paying attention. It's alright."

Jade, in disguise as a doctor, passed by Sara, with a syringe hidden in her hand as Sara could swear she had felt sting on her arm before she felt dizzy and passed out, collapsing on the floor and foam was forming in her mouth.

"Sara! Sara!"

"Poison."

"We need a crash cart, now!"

Jade smirked as she was walking away.

* * *

_**Elsewhere in Starling City** _

Roy entered a warehouse in the docks, looking around before he was knocked down on the ground as a shadow dropped on him from above. "Lesson number one. Never let your guard down and always keep both eyes open." Nyssa warned.

"Noted." Roy nodded, groaning as she helped him on his feet.

"Remember. Every day you go out, you must be willing to die in order to win." Nyssa said. "Anything less and you're dead already."

Roy nodded. "So, what are we going to do first?"

Nyssa approached the weapons stand and threw towards Roy a pair of bamboo sticks before she picked another pair of bamboo sticks for herself. "Be ready for pain."

She attacked Roy and he barely had time to react as he blocked her strike with her sticks and tried to retaliate but Nyssa dodged without breaking a sweat as she knocked him down. "It's not going to be a walk in the park, boy. Don't hold back but reign your temper."

Roy let anger fill him as he got up and tried to attack with a fierce strike but Nyssa dodged.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> David Drayson will play a significant part in this story. Imagine he's being played by Topher Grace.
> 
> So, what do you guys think about it?
> 
> Please review and let me know if you are enjoying this so far.


	14. Setting the Stage

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Diaz continues in trying to take over the city, while Oliver and Nyssa are attempting to stop him. Also, it turns out that an ally of Adrian's is not as friendly as he might seem.
> 
> In flashbacks, Oliver's journey comes to an unexpected turn.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Disclaimer: I do not own DC Comics or the CW TV shows Arrow, The Flash, Legends of Tomorrow or any other characters or elements pertaining to the mentioned franchises.

**_Starling General_ **

"How is Sara doing?" Oliver asked doctor Schwartz as they were talking outside Sara's room.

"She's been stabilized and in a few days she'll be fine." Schwartz assured him.

"What happened exactly?" Oliver asked.

"I'm not sure." Schwartz admitted. "One moment she was fine, then suddenly, she collapsed on the floor. In her blood we found small traces of phosphonofluoride."

"Poison." Oliver realized as Schwartz nodded.

"I already told police and Detective Lance what happened, they're investigating the whole matter, don't worry, Mr. Queen." Schwartz assured him. Oliver looked at Sara on the stretcher with a drip attached to her vein, already suspecting who did this.

"And Thea?" Oliver asked.

"Same with her. But we had to run tests on narcotics with her." Schwartz said grimly.

* * *

"I swear, I don't remember taking any drugs." Thea told Hilton. "I was in a bar and then, the next thing I know, everything went black…"

"Miss Queen, you do realize how serious this is." Hilton said. "There have been allegations before that you've been having a drug problem."

Thea paled, realizing she was in trouble. "What happens now?"

"I can't promise anything but maybe there's a way to  _not_  make things hard for you." Hilton said.

* * *

_**Elsewhere** _

"The aldermen from Tesserville and Lombard are onboard with you, Mr. Diaz and we are actively making donations but alderman Blood has turned down meeting with you." One of the men told Diaz, who sighed.

"Give it time. We have enough time to sow our seeds into this city. And those archers?" Diaz asked.

"Do you want me to hire a specialist on them?" The associate asked.

"No need for that." China White said as she entered with Jade. "We know some people, who can certainly take care of Oliver Queen and Nyssa al Ghul. For the right price. Do you want us to take out that Harper boy too?" Jade tensed upon hearing Roy's name.  _After all, Roy saved her life…_

"Harper's just a small fish in a giant pond." Diaz said. "Even if he was stupid enough to get in contact with Queen or go to the authorities, no way the cops will believe someone with his record and what is Queen, Diggle and that assassin going to do? Adopt him? They're too clever to get in touch ever again with a loser like him."

"After the fiasco with the other vigilante, who has meddled in our affairs twice, we might want to turn our focus to him." Jade suggested.

"Any clues?" Diaz asked.

"Not many. His bullets are custom ordered. Always from other manufacturers." The associate said.

"Once you have a lead on that other vigilante, take him out and send a message. No one gets in our way." Diaz said, glaring. "Everybody slips. It's only a matter of time before we find him and Queen. Emotions can force even the calmest warrior into carelessness. You just need to find the right buttons to push."

"We've taken care of Queen's and Miss Lance's sisters." White said.

"His focus will be split, while concerned about them." Jade smirked.

* * *

**_Four months ago_ **

_As Oliver, Anatoly, Talia and Nyssa were surrounded by the warriors armed with bows and spears, an elderly woman approached them. "My, my, aren't you puffy, boy."_

_Talia bowed and Nyssa did the same as Oliver was not understanding as he reached out with his hand. "My name is Oliver…"_

_"Oliver, wait, I wouldn't…"_

_The elder woman suddenly grabbed Oliver and knocked him down before pressing on his neck. "I've been doing this for three-thousand years, boy. And it takes six seconds for you to get a death wish." Oliver slowly closed his eyes. "You're out cold now. Which means you're useless, defenseless and mercifully silent." Oliver passed out as the woman let him go. "What do you want?" She asked Talia before turning to Nyssa. "And why bring her here? I thought…"_

_"This place is no longer safe, mistress Ducra." Talia said bluntly as the elderly woman widened her eyes. "And dangerous people are coming here."_

_"They're here for the Well of All." Nyssa added._

* * *

**_Present_ **

Adrian was meeting David Drayson in a bar as they were having a bottle of beer.

"Last time we met, me and Jake were taking your kids on carousel." David laughed. "Heard about the vigilantes in town. Starting to consider that this place is going as much to crap as New York did."

"Yeah." Adrian sighed. "The gang war back there… and what it took for me."

"Over some drugs and weapons." David nodded. "I mean, why are you even here? Starling City is not any better than there. This Robin Hood and that… Phantom."

" _Phantom_?" Adrian asked.

"That's what the media call that other archer. The woman. Appears and vanishes quickly like a phantom, unlike the Hood, who's with her." David shrugged. "And then that ski goggles guy."

"Yeah. At least the vigilantes have made more difference in this city, than the corrupt cops did." Adrian said.

"Well, we don't have to worry about that anymore." David shrugged.

"I'm not so sure about that." Adrian sighed.

" _What_?" David scowled.

"It's just a rumor but I heard that recently, two corrupt cops killed a lowlife drug dealer they were interrogating because he said a name he wasn't supposed to." Adrian noted. "And then they covered it up to make it look like self-defense. Only because he said one name."

"What name?" David asked.

"I don't know." Adrian denied. "But all I know that people who know that name, don't have a long lifespan. That someone's got eyes and ears everywhere. Looks like someone wants to pick up where the rich guys left, since the Hood took them all out of the picture."

"And what are you going to do? The D.A.'s gonna take them all on all by himself?" David shrugged. "Come on, you know better than that. Why not let the FBI deal with it? Why not let Dinah do it? She might want them out of the picture as much as you do. My contacts have been providing them the equipment they need."

"I guess we all need to do our best in a bad situation." Adrian said as David nodded.

"On that, we can agree in earnest." David sighed. "A lot of good people have died over the past couple of years. Your wife and kids… Aiden…"

"Who?" Adrian asked.

"A… close associate of mine." David said. "Aiden Holloway. He worked for me. Had a record."

Adrian narrowed his eyes, wondering if it was coincidence. _The same man, who taught him to use guns…_

* * *

_**The Docks** _

Nyssa and Roy were fighting with bamboo sticks as Nyssa swished her stick but Roy rolled down to evade her attack and kicked Nyssa in the stomach before he lunged at her and knocked her down as Nyssa smiled, while he had the sticks near her throat. "I'm impressed. Not many people are able to catch me off-guard like that."

"I grew up in the streets." Roy said. "I've learned the hard way that in the real fight there is barely any fair way to fight."

"Indeed." Nyssa smirked before they suddenly rolled over as Nyssa pinned Roy to the ground and held his wrist as bones cracked and Roy hissed in pain. "But also, never expect your foe to simply surrender, just because you're able to knock them down. You must make sure they are not able to stand at all."

Roy gasped in pain as Nyssa let him go and he rubbed his wrist. "Was that necessary?"

"I warned you it would be painful, Mr. Harper. It's too late to walk away." Nyssa said.

"I never said I wanted out." Roy shot back. "But why are you being such a hard-ass?"

Nyssa sighed. "People like me grow up in a world, where every day it is either you or them. Kill or be killed. Every morning you wake up, you must be ready that it might be your last day and you must fight with every fiber of your muscle to make sure you get to live as long enough of the day as you can."

"Sounds like you had a rough childhood." Roy quipped. "I can relate."

"Trust me, Mr. Harper, you can't." Nyssa shook her head. "Oliver's the one, who taught me that some people are worth mercy."

* * *

_**The Lair** _

Oliver was reviewing the footage at the hospital as he saw a nurse bump into Sara right before she collapsed as he zoomed onto the footage and glared upon recognizing Jade.

* * *

"It was Diaz." Oliver realized as he approached Diggle upstairs.

"How do you know?"

Oliver showed Diggle the photo of Jade, disguised as a nurse as Diggle's blood ran cold.

"She's back." Diggle realized.

"Diaz wants to show us what happens, if we interfere in his business." Oliver said as Diggle sighed.

"OK, I know some guys, they can keep a close eye on Sara, Thea and Laurel." Diggle promised.

"Some of Nyssa's and my… associates might be able to help too." Oliver said.

* * *

_**Four months ago** _

_Oliver came to as Talia was sitting next to him. "What happened?"_

_"I probably should have warned you. Ducra is very… old-fashioned, you could say. She's over three-thousand years old." Talia said. "But perhaps she could use your help."_

_"Help in what?" Oliver demanded._

_"Protecting this place." Talia explained._

* * *

_**Present, District Attorney's office** _

Laurel entered Adrian's office as she handed him a file.

"What is it?" Adrian asked.

"It's from the Glades." Laurel explained. "An elderly woman living in a tenement complex there. Alice Morgan. She filed a lawsuit for the building not up to standards, the following week, she was found dead due to asbestos poisoning. I was hoping you could help me because I've hit a lot of roadblocks on this."

"One would think that the corruption would stop after Merlyn and the Undertaking was done." Adrian grumbled before smiling at Laurel. "No offense to your friend."

"None taken." Laurel smiled. "Thank you."

Adrian looked at the file and saw the photo of a dead woman but… _she wasn't poisoned by asbestos… it was a drug from the Glades… from Jade…_

Adrian then compared the file on Jade from the other ones he had and he realized that Basilisk was in town.

* * *

**_SCPD_ **

Dinah was at her desk as she was looking into some folders as Quentin approached her. "I don't remember this case."

"It's not from Starling." Dinah said. "It's from New York. Three years ago, back, when I was a cop there."

"Why look at cold cases?" Quentin scowled.

"I… I don't know, honestly. I guess that some of the mess that's going on in Starling is giving me a déjà vu." Dinah admitted.

Quentin nodded in understanding as he patted her shoulder. "Good luck, agent Drake."

He walked away as Dinah flipped the page and looked at Adrian's photo and a file of a gangster named " _Aiden Holloway_ " and a shootout at Central Park.

* * *

**_The Lair_ **

Oliver's phone rang as it flashed unknown and he picked it up and he tensed upon recognizing the voice. " _Remember the favor you owe me?_ " Adrian sent Oliver a file on the phone as Oliver glared, recognizing Jade's work. " _You want the drug off the street as much as I do._ "

"I'm not your errand boy, Adrian." Oliver snapped.

" _Remember, you owe me one for letting your family off the hook as much as it was possible. Unless you want me to turn you in to the police and FBI._ " Adrian taunted as Oliver seethed, realizing Adrian had him.

"Why won't you do it yourself?" Oliver demanded. "You seem capable enough to do it alone."

" _You're not the only person, who's preoccupied with two works at once._ " Adrian said cryptically before he hung up as Oliver glared at the phone.

* * *

_**Four months ago** _

_Oliver scowled, not understanding. "Why would I help them protect this place?"_

_"Because this place guards a source of eternal life." Nyssa explained. "A Lazarus pit. The Well of All. And if the Basilisk gets its hands on it, they will become unstoppable."_

_"What is Lazarus pit?" Oliver demanded._

_"You remember how you wondered how could I have trained Yao Fei, when he was older than me?" Talia asked as Oliver nodded before it hit him._

_"You…"_

_"Yes." Talia nodded as he followed her and Nyssa towards some large pool with emerald bright liquid. "This place cannot fall into the wrong hands, Oliver."_

* * *

**_Present, the Glades_ **

The Hood slammed a thug against a wall. "Who poisoned Alice Morgan?"

"I don't know what are you…"

The Hood slugged the thug. "Was Jade Nguyen behind this? Vietnamese woman in green dress? And Ricardo Diaz? A man with a dragon tattoo on his neck? Tell me!"

"They'll kill me!" The thug begged before the Hood drove a flechette through his shoulder and twisted as the thug screamed in pain.

"I'll make you wish you were dead." The Hood snarled.

"I don't know their names! I don't know their names! But yeah, one of them had the tattoos!" The thug admitted. "I saw them around the Glades, wanting to take over some parts and with them was some white-haired woman!"

The Hood glared, realizing China White was back. "Where can I find them?!"

* * *

**_The Docks_ **

The Hood entered the building as he saw some blueprints on the table as on the rafter was observing a woman in black coat and red dress, pulling out her scythe, considering attacking him before putting it back in her belt. "Not just yet, Mr. Queen. Now's not the time to match your and the Demon's skills to mine."

* * *

_**Elsewhere in Starling City** _

"You  _let_  him steal the blueprints?" Diaz demanded over the phone before he sighed, calmed down. "I see. Take your time. But make sure that he and al Ghul are dead." He hung up as another man in the suit entered. What is it now?" Diaz asked.

"We have a problem. That other vigilante is onto you, Mr. Diaz." The man said. "He's interrogated some of the cops on your payroll. I took care of it."

"Do you know who he is?" Diaz asked.

"No." The man admitted. "But I'm working on it. Also… I think Adrian Chase from the District Attorney's office might be onto you too."

" _Chase_?" Diaz scowled. "The D.A. from New York? I thought you took care of him three years ago."

"His family was dead and he had no motive or apparent reason to find out your organization helped mine support the… business partners in your circles in that town." The man explained. "There was no need to finish him off. But I think that he and his friend, a private contractor, have found some clues."

"I see." Diaz nodded. "If Mr. Chase becomes a problem, take him out. And make sure to get the job done clean this time. The last time, you took care of his family. This time, I want to make sure that he's dead, Mr. Drayson."

"Of course." David nodded.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> So, what do you guys think about it?
> 
> Please review and let me know if you are enjoying this so far.


	15. Check

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Oliver, Roy, Nyssa and Adrian go to great lengths to push Diaz into a corner.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Disclaimer: I do not own DC Comics or the CW TV shows Arrow, The Flash, Legends of Tomorrow or any other characters or elements pertaining to the mentioned franchises.

Adrian was in his office, compiling a case on the corrupt officer he had interrogated as Vigilante as he was also creating a list of possible city officials on Diaz's payroll before he received on email some blueprints and Adrian smirked, knowing for sure it was Oliver's work.

* * *

Oliver entered Bratva garage as Alexi smiled. "What can I do for you, Mr. Queen?"

"I need your help." Oliver said.

"And you shall have it, provided you shall help me. That's the rule, Mr…"

"This time, rules don't apply." Oliver said as Alexi scowled. "The enemy I'm up against, is Ricardo Diaz." Alexi's eyes lit up in recognition at hearing the name as Oliver nodded. "You know what he did to Bratva back in Russia. And he will do the same here in Starling City, until there's no one left to oppose him, while he takes control of this city."

"What do you want me to do?" Alexi asked.

"Diaz has members of law enforcement on his payroll, see if you can give them a better deal or offer them protection, whatever it takes to make sure they turn on him." Oliver ordered as Alexi nodded. "If he won't stop him now, he will force Bratva out of this city."

"I shall get to it as soon as possible, Mr. Queen." Alexi said.

"Try to find out the Triad's movements first. Jade Nguyen and China White are working with him." Oliver instructed. "And, please, send someone to keep an eye on Sara Lance and my sister in the hospital. He's trying to push me into a corner. I need to show him that I will fight back."

* * *

**_Four months ago_ **

_Diaz and his mercenaries entered the ancient city, shooting down the guards before Diaz shouted. "Lay down your arms and tell me where to find your source of eternal life and I will spare your people!"_

_"He's lying." Oliver whispered. "We have to stop him."_

_"Agreed." Nyssa nodded as she went out with him and Talia._

* * *

_**Present, District Attorney's office** _

Adrian turned on the camera as he had in a meeting room one of the corrupt officers he had caught and with him was Dinah, Quentin, Pike and Hilton as Quentin turned on the camera.

"As stated, Detective Randall Parks shall volunteer to be placed under protective custody and waive all considerations of immunity." Adrian said.

"In exchange for…" Hilton paused.

"…nothing except clearing Starling City of corruption." Adrian said as Parks took a breath, repeating what he had told Vigilante.

"Two weeks after Malcolm Merlyn was killed by the Hood and most of the corrupt city officials were exposed, I was approached by… a man, who claimed to be working for a resourceful individual named Ricardo Diaz. And there are more people that have been approached by the same person. Police, lawyers, judges, city officials…"

* * *

**_Elsewhere_ **

Diaz was in his office as he was approached by a henchman in a suit. "Sir, we have a problem. The… vigilante… the other one… he pressed one of the officers on our payroll into testifying and FBI is currently apprehending…"

Diaz seethed as he banged his hand on the desk, realizing Oliver and Vigilante have outsmarted him.

"Looks like Queen doesn't like being pushed to the corner." Jade said.

"And he's decided to fight back. Hard." White added. "I should have known that targeting his loved ones would not end well, it would only provoke him to fight back."

* * *

**_Four months ago_ **

_Oliver, Nyssa, Talia and some of the local monks went out, immediately attacking Diaz's mercenaries as they scattered. Diaz however started to run as Oliver chased him, while Nyssa and Talia were killing off the Basilisk's men._

_As Oliver chased Diaz down to the catacombs, where was also the pool with emerald bright liquid._

_"You killed good people in Russia and here, just for power?"_

_"I'm doing what needs to be done, Mr. Queen." Diaz said indifferently. "Russia is full of weak wretched cowards and I'm trying to make them strong and this pit will grant me the power I need."_

_Oliver glared. "I'm going to kill you."_

_"Take your shot." Diaz taunted as Oliver fired but Diaz dodged and threw a grenade, that, upon explosion, knocked Oliver down, severely injuring him. Oliver groaned as he got up before Diaz rushed at him and attacked. Oliver tried to block but due to his injuries, he was in huge disadvantage._

* * *

**_Present, Starling City_ **

"Roy, I think you've shown quite a progress over the past three weeks." Nyssa said as Roy successfully hit his target with his bow before the phone rang as she picked it up. "Yes? I see." Then she hung up before turning to Roy. "Are you prepared to go out tonight?"

"Really?" Roy asked as Nyssa nodded.

"I must warn you though, it will be dangerous and life-threatening." Nyssa warned.

"I'm not afraid to die." Roy said.

* * *

Diaz was in his hideout, mobilizing his men as they were preparing for an assault, with Jade and China White as David was handing them military-grade weapons before an explosion went off and police and FBI, with Quentin, Hilton and Dinah burst in as his thugs were fighting back and shooting.

* * *

In another part of the building, an explosion went off from the wall as Vigilante entered, shooting down the thugs as he searched another part of the building and at him was shooting, to his surprise, David.

* * *

_**Few weeks ago** _

_"Someone supplied Basilisk the weapons and drugs to do some nasty crap in New York and it's likely that they're doing the same thing in Starling right now." Jacob explained as he handed Adrian a folder. "Whoever it was, they knew you were onto them and most likely wanted you out of the picture."_

* * *

_**Present** _

Vigilante glared hatefully as he went into the room, about to face his former friend.

* * *

Diaz went out from his office with White and Jade onto a rooftop.

"We underestimated Queen." Jade said.

"He's done messing around, I must applaud him." White said before a red arrow landed on the floor and exploded, knocking them all on the ground and as they got up, they faced the Hood, Nyssa and an archer in red hoodie, who was of smaller height than the Hood and Nyssa.

"You escaped the last time, Diaz. I'll make sure you won't make it out alive this time." The Hood growled.

"I wanted to make this city something better than it is! You took that away from me! You took everything!" Diaz snarled. "I'm going to kill you!"

"Take your shot." The Hood said the same words Diaz told him the last time they faced off as Diaz pulled out his gun, while Nyssa fired an arrow at White, who dodged and Roy fired an arrow at Jade, who blocked the arrow with her claws as the Hood rushed at Diaz.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> So, what do you guys think about it?
> 
> Please review and let me know if you are enjoying this so far.


	16. Checkmate

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> The Hood, Nyssa, Roy and Vigilante have one final confrontation with their respective enemies.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Disclaimer: I do not own DC Comics or the CW TV shows Arrow, The Flash, Legends of Tomorrow or any other characters or elements pertaining to the mentioned franchises.

The Hood knocked the gun away from Diaz's hand as he then hit Diaz in the chest with his bow and kicked him back. Diaz dodged another attack and tackled the Hood to the ground and started to pummel him but the Hood grabbed Diaz's arm and hit him in the head with his knee before he got up as Diaz pulled out a knife and they both traded blows again and as both of them tried to deliver a fierce strike, they knocked their weapons off their hands as they slid down the floor before they started to trade punches.

* * *

Nyssa was using her bow and sword to block White's knives and the Triad assassin was fast and agile and Nyssa was having a hard time to deliver a crippling blow.

* * *

Roy used his batons to block Jade's claws as she tried to slash him but Roy jumped back as she smirked. "I must say, there's more to you than it seems, Roy. Pity it has to end this way, together we could live like kings and queens. You could have had a better life."

"I already have one!" Roy snapped before he attacked and tried to hit Jade in the head but Jade blocked with her claws as she swung her hands but Roy dodged and hit her in the stomach and kicked her in the chest as she fell down. "Don't make this harder than it has to be, Jade."

"You're the one, who's making it so by joining Queen!" Jade sneered.

* * *

The Hood grabbed Diaz across the rooftop as he crashed onto a vent and Diaz grabbed a piece of pipe and used it as a weapon as he tried to swing it wildly at the Hood and he hit the archer in the head, dazing him before another hit sent him to the ground. As Diaz was to deliver another blow, the Hood grabbed the pipe and kicked Diaz in the stomach.

* * *

White managed to get behind Nyssa and stab her in the hip as Nyssa hissed and White scratched in the arm but Nyssa spun around with her bow and knocked White on the ground before she notched an arrow and White got up and Nyssa fired, pinning White's hands to a chimney as she hissed before Nyssa approached her and pulled out her sword.

"I've heard what you did in Hong Kong and in Starling City two years ago." Nyssa sneered. "Consider this a reckoning for the pain you delivered to the man I care about."

She drove the sword through White's heart as the Triad assassin gulped and her mouth filled with blood before her body went limp and her head tilted to a side, staring without seeing.

* * *

Jade got up and lunged at Roy, who fell down but Roy shook Jade off as he attacked with his batons, while Jade blocked again with her claws and kicked Roy back as he fell down as next to him was his bow.

"I'm sorry about this, Roy… but you have brought this on yourself."

Roy noticed that Jade's feet were on a noose as above him behind her was a cylinder wrapped with cable as Roy fired at the lever, causing for the cylinder to roll down and Jade screamed as she was suddenly sliding down the rooftop down over the edge as Roy heard loud splash as he got up and looked down from the edge of the rooftop to see that Jade fell into the water.

* * *

Diaz and the Hood were trading punches before Diaz knocked the Hood on the ground and grabbed him by his throat as the Hood glared. "Enough!" He slugged Diaz three times in his face as the Hood threw Diaz on the ground and pulled out an arrow, driving it through Diaz's shoulder as Diaz groaned in pain.

Diaz got up and yelled as he pulled the arrow out of his shoulder. "This is my city! You wanna stop me, you're gonna have to kill me!" The Hood glared before he attacked Diaz again but Diaz grabbed a hook with a chain, wrapping it around the Hood's neck as he choked out. "You've been a nuisance to my plans for too long. When I'm done with you, I'm coming after your sister, then Laurel, then Sara, and Diggle and that bitch…"

Before Diaz could finish, an arrow hit him in the leg as Roy shot him from behind. Diaz let the Hood go as the archer caught a breath and turned to Diaz. "I won't let you hurt anyone I care about, ever again. This is for Anatoly, you bastard!" He grabbed another arrow and stabbed Diaz in his throat as Diaz choked out and blood filled his mouth, while he collapsed to the ground, dead.

The three archers stared at the dead crime lord for a moment before they heard sirens. "We better get out of here before the cops come after us." Roy said.

* * *

In another part of the building, Vigilante was scouring around, with his rifle ready before an explosion went off, burning his mask off as Adrian put down his mask.

"You were always too stubborn to let things go, Adrian." David said as he fired from his rifle, shooting at Adrian's armor as he fell down.

Adrian looked at his former friend as he realized that he was the only one, who knew about Adrian's case in New York. "I never told anyone outside D.A.'s office about us investigating the gangs, who got military grade weapons, except for two people. Jacob and you. You set up the gang war and got my family killed. Why?!"

"I had no part in that, Adrian." David smirked. "I never wanted any of this to happen. But… you've always been stubborn. You could never let go, once you took a bite. You're like a bulldog. And sometimes, mad dogs have to be put down. Guys like the Basilisk, need this. How naïve it is from you to believe that law can make a difference? If law can't stop the crime, why not control it?"

"This ends here." Adrian got up as he was with David in a standoff as they both pulled out their pistols. "The FBI's got you surrounded, so do the vigilantes."

"You always cared too much, Adrian." David scoffed. "Attachments are a weakness. I never had anyone." Adrian hesitated as David shot him, hitting him in the shoulder as Adrian fell down. Despite the armor protecting him, it still hurt like hell.

"You had me… and my family." Adrian snapped. "Jacob… Dinah…"

Suddenly, Dinah showed up behind David with a gun aimed at him. "Drop your weapon, now!"

David whirled around and shot Dinah in the head as she fell down.

Adrian glared hatefully as he roared and lunged at David, causing for him to drop his gun. They both traded punches before David slammed Adrian to a steel pillar and threw him down on the floor and kicked him in the stomach. Adrian got up and grabbed David, slamming him to the floor as he repeatedly started to pummel him but David dodged the fourth punch and hit Adrian in the throat as Adrian choked. David got up and pulled a knife as Adrian dodged but David managed to slash him across his arms as he was swinging his knife wildly as Adrian hissed. As David attacked again, Adrian kicked him back but David lunged at Adrian and stabbed him in the shoulder as he pinned him against a mirror that cracked and Adrian collapsed to the floor.

"Look at yourself. How pathetic…"

As David was about to deliver a killing blow, Adrian grabbed a glass shard and stabbed David in the abdomen as David gagged, while blood was spilling from his gut. David pulled away as he pulled out the shard in pain. David tried to attack Adrian again but he was too slow due to the pain he was in as Adrian grabbed his arm and broke it before he slammed his face against the mirror. Adrian then grabbed David's face and his hair and started to drag it across the mirror as there was sound of glass shards ripping the flesh as David was screaming in excruciating agony. Adrian let go of David, who whirled around and tried to attack again but Adrian grabbed his arm and broke it again before slamming his face against the mirror.

Adrian grabbed a knife and neared it to David's throat, while pulling his hair, forcing David to look in horror at his mutilated face, as he was horrified by the damage that has been done to his visage.

David neared his hand to Adrian's knife as he gagged. "Kill me." Adrian glared and seethed, wanting to kill David for betraying him and being responsible for his family's death but now he realized that death would be a too easy way out for his former friend. "Do it!"

Adrian let David go, wanting to make him suffer by taking away the thing that was most dear to him, his handsome face. "You're not going to die today."

"Please…" David begged.

"Death would be too kind and easy." Adrian kicked David from behind, face first against the mirror before he grabbed David by his hair, who choked out as the shards were embedding themselves on his face. "You're going to learn about pain." Adrian slammed his face again against the glass. "You're going to learn about loss." He slammed David's face again against the mirror before forcing him to look into the reflection of his mutilated face. "Every morning, I look for them. I look for Doris and my kids, Dave. But then I remember. And it's gonna be the same for you." Adrian forced David's eyes wide open. "Whenever you look at your ugly mangled face, you're gonna remember what you did, David." He slammed David's face against the glass two more times. "You're gonna remember what you took away from me and you're gonna remember me!"

Adrian roared as he pulled David by his hair and slammed his face against the mirror one last time as the shards embedded themselves onto his mutilated face as his former friend was knocked out.

Adrian checked in on Dinah, while there was a small pool of blood dripping from the gunshot wound on her head but she was still breathing, to his relief as Adrian bandaged the wound with a piece of cloth and walked away before Pike, Quentin and Hilton entered and saw Dinah on the floor as Quentin measured her pulse, while frightened from the shot in her head.

"She's still breathing."

"Agent Drake. Wake up. Dinah." Pike shook her.

"We need medic, now!" Hilton called out before he noticed unconscious David with a mutilated face.

* * *

**_Four months ago_ **

_Diaz got up and started to beat Oliver but Oliver pushed Diaz back as they traded punches but Oliver's injuries made it hard as Diaz grabbed Oliver's hand and twisted it, while he slammed Oliver to the ground. Oliver kicked Diaz as Diaz stumbled and fell into the river. Oliver looked around as the Nyssa, Talia and the monks and the mercenaries were fighting before he passed out from his injuries._

* * *

**_Present, Starling General, one week later_ **

Sara signed off the release papers as Oliver, Thea, Laurel and Nyssa went to visit her, with flowers.

"Hey."

"Hi." Sara smiled.

"Are you OK?"

"Well, there was no criminal disguised as a nurse trying to poison me over the past week." Sara quipped as they all laughed.

"Why did she even go after you?" Laurel asked.

Sara turned to Oliver, who nodded as she came up with a story they agreed to. "I found out that someone was trying to poison our patients, I wanted to report it but I guess she was one step ahead of me."

"Pity they didn't catch her." Oliver sighed.

"I highly doubt we need to worry about her in the near future." Nyssa assured her.

"Has Thea been released?" Sara asked.

"She's heading to the car now." Oliver said as Sara nudged him.

"Ollie… I need to ask you something." Sara said, lowering her voice.

"What?" Oliver whispered.

"For far too long, I was afraid of people like Anthony, Slade… that they'd come after me and my family. And now Diaz has tried to kill me and Thea. He could have killed Laurel." Sara said. "And… I don't want to be afraid anymore."

"What are you saying?" Oliver asked.

"I want you to train me." Sara said as Oliver considered. "I want to be like you."

* * *

Thea was walking out of the hospital as she bumped into Roy. "Oh, I'm so sorry."

"No, it's my bad. Sorry… I'm… I just got released and…" Thea paused as she looked at Roy and smiled, while Roy smiled back. "Do I know you?"

"Well… I… I met your brother once." Roy blurted out without thinking. "I mean… he helped me out of a big mess a while back. Sorry, I…"

Thea smiled. "Yeah, I can see that Ollie has changed and… it took me a while to see that. I'm Thea Queen."

"I know who you are." Roy smiled as they shook hands. "Roy Harper."

Thea looked outside to see Diggle at the limo. "Sorry, I should go."

As she was about to leave, Roy suddenly blurted out. "Would you like to go out on a coffee with me?"

Thea turned to him, surprised before smiling. "Sure."

* * *

"How's agent Drake doing?" Adrian asked the doctor.

"The bullet missed her brain, so she lives. Luckily, there was no permanent damage done but she needs to be under observation for a couple of weeks before we decide to release her." The doctor explained as Adrian entered, while Hilton, Quentin and Pike were interrogating her.

"Mr. Chase." Quentin greeted.

"Detective." Adrian nodded politely before turning to Dinah, ready to accept that she would turn him in, since his vengeance was finished.

"Agent Drake, do you remember anything about Vigilante or the Hood or the other two archers?" Pike asked as Dinah sighed.

"Not much. I remember Vigilante fighting Drayson before he shot me in the head and… the next thing I remember is waking up here." Dinah said as she looked at Adrian, who deflated himself in relief, while Quentin, Hilton and Pike were disappointed. "What happened with Drayson though?"

"He will live." Quentin said. "But they spent eleven hours with him under the knife. Vigilante did quite a number on him. He had more glass shards on his face than a hedgehog has spines. Face torn to shreds. Right now, that son of a bitch is in deep coma and who knows if he ever regains significant brain function or to what degree. He may wake up tomorrow… or never. Remember everything… or not even his own name."

Dinah seethed. "I hope he does…. So that I can bring him to justice myself."

* * *

In another part of the hospital, David Drayson had bandaged face as he was in deep coma, while lying on his bed.

* * *

**_Nyssa's penthouse_ **

"Justice has been done and the Basilisk is gone for good." Nyssa told Oliver.

"There's nothing keeping you here anymore." Oliver said as he smiled at her. "You can come home."

Nyssa sighed. "Even if I wanted to… my father would never pass his mantle onto a woman. It took me a long time to see that. I need to find my way outside the League. I don't know where will my path go, Oliver… but what I do know is that wherever it takes me… I want you by my side." She held his hand as Oliver smiled.

"If you want me there, I'll be there." Oliver said as they kissed fiercely and laid down on bed, while Oliver lifted her top and she unbuttoned his shirt as they gave into each other.

"I love you, Oliver."

"I love you, Nyssa."

* * *

**_Four months ago_ **

_Oliver slowly woke up as he felt immense pain, with bandages wrapped around his body before he got up and noticed Talia. "What… what happened?"_

_"The Basilisk mercenaries are gone but Diaz has disappeared." Talia explained._

_"Where's Nyssa?" Oliver asked._

_Talia sighed. "There's someone, who wants to speak with you, Oliver."_

_Oliver got up, following Talia as outside on courtyard he saw a man, who must have been around forty years old, with short beard and a black attire with long cloak as Oliver realized who it was as the man stared at Oliver in surprise._

_"You're just a boy."_

_Talia knelt down as Oliver did the same, to her insistence as she nudged him. "Father."_

_"I've been hearing interesting rumors about you, Mr. Queen." Ra's al Ghul said. "And last month, you interfered with my daughter's mission and caused many interesting events to come down and yet you protected the Lazarus pit they were after. You are an interesting warrior. Though I cannot tolerate insolence and interference, you saved my daughter's life and helped her root out the evil from this world."_

_"He has proven himself to be a brave man with heart." Talia said. "Killing him would be a waste, father. And I believe he can be a suitable addition to this place, with their teachings he could prove himself to be a formidable warrior. And he has his own crusade I want to guide him in."_

_"And so does your sister." Ra's pointed out. "Why should I let live the man, who has claimed my daughter's heart?"_

_"Them working together would help rid the world of greater evil, killing Oliver Queen would have the world become much poorer than it is now." Talia said as Ra's considered._

_"Very well. You may teach him here. And seeing that his goals do not differ so much from ours, I shall allow my daughter to follow him in his crusade." Ra's said eventually. "But, should you ever interfere in the League's affairs again, I shall demand a token in repayment, Mr. Queen."_

_He walked away as Oliver turned to Talia, confused. "What happened?"_

_"He was going to either kill you or conscript you. Trust me, I saved your life."_

_"And what about Nyssa?"_

_"You will see her soon enough, I promise, Oliver." Talia assured him._

* * *

**_Present, elsewhere_ **

Jade was in her hideout, outside Starling City, glaring into the mirror and bandaging her injuries as rage filled her over Oliver, Diggle and Nyssa beating her, once again. And yet, while Roy has joined with her enemy, she couldn't help herself but become fond of him before she felt nausea and rushed to the toilet, vomiting.

* * *

In another part, a man wearing an eyepatch, with a beard and dark hair, was watching TV.

" _Starling City is currently still recovering from corruption and public opinion is getting higher on the vigilante archers that were responsible for eliminating the criminal influence…_ "

The man seethed with hate as he narrowed his one eye on the photo of the archer in green hood. "I'm coming for you. Soon enough, I'm going to take away everything you took away from me, kid."

* * *

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I do plan a sequel with Deathstroke arc but I have not planned it out yet how would it go down. And you have probably noticed that there are some additional side plots I have prepared. Right now, though, I have other stories to focus on and it might take a while before I get to the sequel, so, stay tuned and be patient.
> 
> Please review and let me know if you have enjoyed the story to its end because THE ARROW'S PATH is honestly one of the few stories that I've highly enjoyed writing.
> 
> See you later with another of my story projects
> 
> With regards
> 
> Bl4ckHunter


End file.
